The listening to, which commenced on September 16, has prompted an intensive investigation into the occasions resulting in the June 18 incident that resulted within the lack of all 5 people aboard.
On the day of the incident, the crew maintained communication with their assist vessel, the Polar Prince. In a final trade, they communicated, “all good right here,” earlier than sending a closing message indicating they’d launched weights in an try to return to the floor. Shortly thereafter, the Titan misplaced contact, resulting in an pressing search and eventual discovery of wreckage 4 days later, roughly a 3rd of a mile from the Titanic itself.
The listening to has included testimony from former OceanGate personnel, highlighting inside conflicts and security considerations throughout the firm. David Lochridge, the previous operations director, expressed doubts concerning the firm’s dedication to security, stating, “The entire thought behind the corporate was to earn money.”
At the beginning of the listening to, Coast Guard officers stated that the Titan submersible lacked an unbiased security evaluate, a regular business observe, elevating considerations throughout the undersea exploration group. Following the implosion, OceanGate, based mostly in Washington state, suspended its operations and at present has no full-time workers, although it’s represented by an legal professional. The corporate has said it’s absolutely cooperating with ongoing Coast Guard and NTSB investigations into the incident, with Titan having performed dives to the Titanic since 2021.
