This undated image courtesy of OceanGate Expeditions, shows their Titan submersible launching from a platform. (Photo by Handout / OceanGate Expeditions / AFP)
Washington: The US Coast Guard announced Tuesday that critical failures in design, certification, maintenance, and inspection by the US exploration company OceanGate were the primary causes of the fatal Titan submersible disaster that claimed five lives.
The Coast Guard's Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) released a more than 300-page Report of Investigation detailing its key findings and 17 safety recommendations.
The report concluded that OceanGate's failure to adhere to established engineering protocols related to safety, testing, and maintenance was the primary causal factor in the incident.
Additional contributing factors cited in the report include a toxic workplace culture at OceanGate, an inadequate domestic and international regulatory framework for submersible operations and vessels of novel design, and an ineffective whistleblower process under the Seaman's Protection Act.
"For several years preceding the incident, OceanGate leveraged intimidation tactics, allowances for scientific operations, and the company's favorable reputation to evade regulatory scrutiny," the report said.
"By strategically creating and exploiting regulatory confusion and oversight challenges, OceanGate was ultimately able to operate TITAN completely outside of the established deep-sea protocols," it added.
The investigation also revealed that OceanGate failed to properly investigate and resolve known structural anomalies in the hull following its 2022 Titanic expedition.
"This marine casualty and the loss of five lives was preventable," said Jason Neubauer, Titan MBI chair. "The two-year investigation has identified multiple contributing factors that led to this tragedy, providing valuable lessons learned to prevent a future occurrence. There is a need for stronger oversight."
The 17 safety recommendations aim to enhance oversight of submersible operations, improve interagency coordination, and address gaps in international maritime policy.
On June 18, 2023, the Titan submersible, operated by OceanGate, began its descent in waters approximately 1,450 km east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to explore the wreck of the Titanic. About 1 hour and 45 minutes after the dive began, the submersible lost contact.
On June 22, 2023, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that the vessel had suffered a "catastrophic implosion" near the wreck site, resulting in the deaths of all five people aboard.
The victims included British billionaire adventurer Hamish Harding, British Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, his 19-year-old son Suleman, French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet and OceanGate co-founder and CEO Stockton Rush.
