September 23rd 2024.
The US Coast Guard has recently shared new footage of the wreckage of the Titan submersible, which tragically imploded in the Atlantic Ocean last year, causing the loss of five lives. As the Coast Guard begins their second week of hearings to investigate the incident involving the OceanGate submersible, they have released this vision to the public.
During the hearings, the co-founder of OceanGate, Guillermo Sohnlein, expressed his hope that this disaster will inspire a renewed interest in exploration, particularly in the deepest parts of the world's oceans. He firmly believes that this cannot be the end of deep ocean exploration and deep-diving submersibles. Sohnlein co-founded OceanGate with Stockton Rush, who was among the five people who tragically lost their lives in the Titan implosion. Sohnlein may have left the company before the disaster occurred, but he spoke in defense of their efforts during this difficult time.
Sohnlein revealed that the company's original plan was to create a fleet of four to five deep-diving submersibles, capable of carrying a crew of five to a depth of 6km. This was to be achieved without a dedicated mothership, which would have significantly lowered costs. The ultimate goal was to provide humanity with greater access to the ocean's depths.
When asked about the materials used in the construction of Titan, Sohnlein explained that the company had focused on carbon fiber in order to create a lightweight and more affordable submersible that did not need to be tethered to a specific mothership. He also noted that the use of carbon fiber was not a novel idea and had been explored by others before.
Sohnlein also addressed the company's decision to build their own subs, stating that no existing submersible builders could meet their specific requirements. He reiterated that the company had worked closely with the Coast Guard during the development process.
During his testimony, Sohnlein mentioned that he had the opportunity to dive in Titan several times but declined. He explained that he did not want to take away the opportunity from potential customers and that when Rush felt it was time for a human to pilot the submersible, he wanted to do it himself. Sohnlein shared that Rush felt a personal responsibility for his design and wanted to be impacted if anything were to happen.
The Coast Guard's public hearing is a part of a high-level investigation into the cause of the implosion. Some of the testimony has shed light on the troubled nature of the company. Former OceanGate operations director, David Lochridge, shared that he frequently clashed with Rush and felt that the company's main focus was making money rather than furthering scientific exploration.
Another former employee, Phil Brooks, spoke about the economic struggles within the company. He revealed that workers were asked to forego paychecks with the promise of being caught up in the future. This, along with other financial issues, seemed to affect safety decisions within the company.
The Coast Guard also noted that the submersible had not been independently reviewed, which is standard practice. This and the submersible's unique design have subjected it to scrutiny within the undersea exploration community.
OceanGate has suspended its operations since the implosion and currently has no full-time employees. During the final dive on June 18, 2023, the crew lost contact with the support ship, Polar Prince. When the submersible was reported overdue, a search and rescue mission was launched. The wreckage of Titan was found on the ocean floor, about 300m from the bow of the Titanic.
OceanGate has been fully cooperating with the Coast Guard and NTSB investigations since they began. The company has released a statement expressing their grief over the loss of lives and their commitment to understanding the cause of the implosion. They have also stated that they will not resume operations until the cause has been determined and all necessary measures have been taken.
As the hearings continue, more witnesses will testify, shedding light on the events leading up to the Titan implosion. The entire undersea exploration community is watching closely, as this incident has sparked a global debate on the future of private undersea exploration.
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