It has been nearly two years since the tragic implosion of OceanGate’s Titan Submarine in the North Atlantic Ocean, resulting in the deaths of all five passengers on board, including CEO Stockton Rush. The incident occurred during a dive to the wreckage of the Titanic, approximately 3,800 meters deep. Recently released footage shows Rush’s wife, Wendy, reacting to the implosion, asking “What was that bang?” unaware that her husband had been killed in the disaster.
According to the Coast Guard’s investigation, the Titan’s carbon fiber shell had started to break apart during a previous mission, a process known as delamination. This weakness had been identified as a major concern by deep-sea experts and former OceanGate employees, who had voiced concerns about the Titan’s design and safety. One expert had even called the submersible an “abomination” and claimed that the tragedy was “inevitable.”
The investigation revealed that the delamination of the carbon fiber shell was the primary cause of the implosion. The hull of the submersible, which housed the passengers, was constructed from layers of carbon fiber combined with resin, a material that is prone to delamination under pressure. Clothing belonging to Rush, including business cards, was found in the wreckage, a poignant reminder of the tragic loss of life.
The Coast Guard’s investigation also found that OceanGate had paid the passengers to visit the Titan Submersible, despite concerns about its safety. The submersible had never been independently certified for safety, and critics had warned about the risks of using it for deep-sea dives. The final investigation report is expected to be released later this year, and it is likely to shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
The incident highlights the importance of prioritizing safety and taking concerns about design and materials seriously. The loss of life in this tragedy is a stark reminder of the risks involved in deep-sea exploration and the need for rigorous safety protocols to be in place. The release of the final investigation report will provide more insight into the events leading up to the tragedy and will hopefully lead to improvements in safety standards for deep-sea submersibles.