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Former OceanGate Employee Warned of 'Inevitable' Titan Disaster, Coast Guard Inquiry Reveals

Former OceanGate Employee Warned of ‘Inevitable’ Titan Disaster, Coast Guard Inquiry Reveals

Former OceanGate Employee Testifies on Titan Submersible Safety Concerns

In a significant development in the ongoing investigation of the Titan submersible disaster, former OceanGate employee David Lochridge has provided testimony regarding safety concerns he raised before the vessel’s implosion in June 2023. Lochridge, who was dismissed from the company in 2018, claimed that safety incidents were “inevitable” due to OceanGate’s disregard for standard safety protocols.

The testimony comes as part of a two-week inquiry conducted by the US Coast Guard, which has been investigating the incident for the past 15 months. Lochridge’s statement marks his first public comments since his dismissal from OceanGate, for which he later sued the company on grounds of wrongful termination.

During his testimony, Lochridge revealed that he was tasked by CEO Stockton Rush to create a quality inspection report in 2018. He expressed grave concerns about the Titan’s carbon fiber design, predicting potential damage with each dive. Lochridge accused the company of prioritizing profit over safety and criticized their refusal to collaborate with external experts.

The former employee described a deteriorating relationship with OceanGate as he became more vocal about potential risks, feeling labeled as a “troublemaker” within the company. He also noted that OceanGate conducted its engineering in-house, bypassing external expertise.

Supporting Lochridge’s claims, former engineering director Tony Nissen testified that he refused to enter the submersible due to safety concerns. Officials revealed that the Titan was never subjected to third-party testing, and records showed the submersible experienced 118 equipment issues during dives in 2021 and 2022. One notable incident left passengers stranded for 27 hours due to battery failures.

The Titan submersible imploded during a descent to the Titanic wreck site, resulting in the deaths of all five individuals on board, including CEO Stockton Rush, explorer Hamish Harding, diver Paul Henri Nargeolet, and members of the Dawood family. Following the incident, OceanGate suspended its operations.

This inquiry has reignited discussions about the Titanic submersible accident and broader concerns regarding safety practices in the United States, particularly in high-risk exploration ventures.