Disturbing new information on the Titan submarine accident, which happened 15 months ago, surfaced at a Coast Guard hearing held in public on Monday. The Titan, a ship intended to investigate the Titanic wreck located 12,500 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, tragically collapsed while it was descending, killing all five of its occupants.
This is the first time the U.S. Coast Guard has released even a screenshot of the wreck, captured by a remotely operated deep-sea drone. The picture was taken on June 22, four days after the Titan’s disappearance and also just before the Coast Guard formally announced the submersible lost, showing debris surrounding the Titan’s tail cone. The haunting image only reinforces that notion of how much in harm’s way the crew found themselves with an added dimension of dramatic effect due to longstanding safety concerns and criticisms that have befallen OceanGate and its former CEO Stockton Rush.
One of the victims, Rush had come under fire for playing down safety issues and critics with lawsuits. According to the hearing, the United States Coast Guard had documented several equipment problems, with 70 being identified in 2021 and another 48 more recently in 2022. Moreover, less than a month before the implosion, the Titan was found partially sunk during a test and passengers on another mission reported being slammed against the walls of the vessel.
Experts have questioned a number of OceanGate design decisions, such as the submersible’s unusual pill-shaped form that departs from the industry standard spherical design. Additionally criticized is Rush’s choice to employ carbon fiber that had expired and was obtained from Boeing, a controversial aerospace contractor. This material was considered inappropriate for deep-sea research since it is known to deteriorate with time.
The public probe into the submersible’s catastrophic breakdown is set to begin on Monday and run for two weeks. The cause of the incident is yet unknown. As the investigation goes on, additional information and possibly even more disturbing revelations should be anticipated.