The US Coast Guard’s hearing into the Titan submersible disaster has unveiled alarming details from Dr Steven Ross, OceanGate’s former scientific director.
He disclosed that just days before its tragic dive to the Titanic wreck, the Titan experienced a significant malfunction, causing the vessel to crash into its own platform.
Stay up-to-date on the latest news with The National Briefing – keeping you in the loop with news as it hits:
Dr Ross said that one individual was “hanging upside down” while others struggled to brace themselves during the incident.
Details revealed that OceanGate’s founder and pilot, Stockton Rush, was also behind the controller of the mission days before.
“The pilot crashed into the rear bulkhead, the rest of the passengers tumbled about,” Dr Ross said.
“I ended up standing on the rear bulkhead. One passenger was hanging upside down and the other two managed to wedge themselves into the bow end cap,” he added.
The testimony coincides with revelations from a whistleblower who recounted a previous mishap under Stockton Rush’s command in 2016.
David Lochridge, former head of marine operations at OceanGate until his dismissal in 2018, recounted the experience.
Despite Lochridge’s strong objections, Rush insisted on piloting a Cyclops submersible to the Andrea Doria wreck off Massachusetts in 2016, carrying three paying clients.
Lochridge described Rush as unresponsive to warnings about challenging weather and tide conditions.
“He wouldn’t listen,” Lochridge said.
Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia’s fastest-growing news podcast on LiSTNR today. The Briefing serves up the latest news and deep dives on topics affecting you, all in under 20 minutes.