Pieces of the Titan wreckage being off-loaded at St. John’s harbour on June 28, 2023. Photo by Keith Gosse /THE TELEGRAMArticle contentThe implosion of the Titan submersible and the death of all five aboard was “preventable” if not for the sub owner’s “failure to follow established engineering protocols,” the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe Titan was on a trip to visit the wreckage of the Titanic when it imploded on June 18, 2023. The disaster brought international attention to deep-sea tourism, which experts say lacks adequate oversight to ensure safety. The Coast Guard’s 335-page report follows a two-week investigative hearing in September.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentThe report blamed the company behind the submersible, OceanGate, for using “intimidation tactics” and “strategically creating and exploiting regulatory confusion and oversight challenges.”Article contentIt also criticized OceanGate co-founder and CEO Stockton Rush’s lack of third-party oversight, writing that he did “completely ignore vital inspections, data analyses, and preventative maintenance procedures, culminating in a catastrophic event.”Article contentRush died in the Titan’s implosion. Had he lived, according to the report, the Coast Guard investigation board members would have recommended the Justice Department consider filing federal criminal charges based on his negligence as CEO and pilot during the incident.Article contentOceanGate had been informed of risks with the Titan’s design, including the possibility of the sub’s glue joints failing and the experimental choice to use carbon fiber, an unproven material in deep-sea conditions, the Coast Guard report said. But the company failed to adequately test the Titan to account for those risks.Article contentArticle contentInvestigation of debris from the Titan showed the adhesive gluing the craft’s carbon fiber hull to titanium segments at the front and back of the sub failed, according to the report.Article contentArticle contentThe implosion likely destroyed the craft in an instant. The Titan’s viewport was never found, suggesting it had been blown outwards in the implosion and buried in the seafloor, the report said.Article contentThe Coast Guard report includes several recommendations, from technical to sweeping. They include updating the 30-year-old regulations governing submersibles used for research and business purposes, including the creation of a clear process for certifying new submersible designs.Article contentDuring the September hearing, witnesses told the Coast Guard that OceanGate’s expeditions were marked by equipment problems and disagreements over the development of the Titan sub.
Titan submersible disaster was preventable tragedy, Coast Guard says
