Experts raised safety concerns about OceanGate years before its Titanic sub vanished

Experts raised safety concerns about OceanGate’s Titan submersible years before it went missing during a deep-sea dive to the Titanic shipwreck site.

Background: OceanGate first faced criticisms regarding the safety of its Titan submersible as far back as 2018.
* Will Kohnen, chair of the Marine Technology Society’s Submarine Committee, drafted a letter to OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, expressing “unanimous concern” about the development of the Titan and its planned Titanic expeditions.

Safety concerns: Kohnen said the main concern was a lack of oversight and adherence to industry-accepted safety guidelines.
* OceanGate has not used certification and verification from classification societies, which provide oversight for structures like ships, oil platforms, and submarines.
* The company defended its decision, stating that the third-party approval process is “anathema to rapid innovation,” its founding principle.

Former employee lawsuit: OceanGate former Director of Marine Operations David Lochridge alleged in a 2018 lawsuit that he was fired after raising concerns about the company’s safety practices.
* Lochridge, an experienced submarine pilot, had pushed for proper testing on the vessel’s carbon fiber hull and using a classification agency to inspect and certify it.

Past issues: OceanGate admitted to experiencing a battery issue and external damage during the Titan’s first dive to the Titanic wreck site in 2021.
* CBS Sunday Morning correspondent David Pogue reported that the submersible lost contact with the surface crew for about five hours during his expedition in 2022 and faced a mechanical issue during a November trip that caused it to abort after reaching 37 feet down.

View original article on NPR

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