In a chilling statement made before the tragic Titan submersible incident. The CEO of the company responsible for the vessel declared, “No one is dying under my watch.” The Titan, a deep-sea submersible designed for tourist expeditions to the Titanic shipwreck. The ship imploded during a recent dive, resulting in the deaths of all five people on board.
In a recently revealed transcript from a key 2018 meeting at OceanGate, the CEO, Stockton Rush, stated emphatically, “No one is dying under my watch—period“. This exchange occurred during a heated discussion about safety concerns raised by David Lochridge, the former director of marine operations, and three other staff members. Lochridge had flagged serious issues with the Titan submersible design, particularly its carbon fiber hull and construction methods.
Rush dismissed the concerns despite the warnings. He always asserted that the Titan was one of the safest projects he had ever undertaken. He reassured the team, saying, “I have no desire to die“. Moreover, Rush also emphasized his confidence in the sub’s safety, even referencing his granddaughter as a reason for his determination to stay safe.
Tragically, in June 2023, the Titan submersible imploded during a deep-sea expedition to the Titanic wreck, killing all five aboard, including Rush himself. The incident prompted a U.S. Coast Guard investigation, which has brought to light several previously ignored safety concerns.
Lochridge, who was fired after the 2018 meeting, testified at a recent public inquiry. He states that the disaster could have been prevented if his concerns had been properly addressed. He had even taken the matter to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), but the case was dropped after legal pressure from OceanGate.
The investigation continues, with further evidence expected from OceanGate’s co-founder Guillermo Sohnlein and other former employees. The inquiry aims to fully understand what caused the tragic implosion and how to prevent similar disasters in the future.
