David Lochridge, a former marine operations director at OceanGate, has come forward with serious allegations regarding the tragic implosion of the Titan submersible in 2023. The incident, which claimed the lives of all five passengers aboard as they explored the Titanic wreck, has resurfaced in the news following Lochridge’s claims about the company’s practices.
Lochridge, who worked at OceanGate from 2016 to 2018, criticized the company’s approach under CEO Stockton Rush. “There was a big push to get this done. A lot of steps along the way were missed,” Lochridge said, pointing to what he describes as hasty and inadequate engineering procedures. He added, “The whole idea behind the company was to make money. There was very little in the way of science.”
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Ongoing Investigation and Safety Concerns
The U.S. Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigation is currently examining the factors that led to the Titan’s fatal implosion. The investigation, now spanning 15 months, aims to uncover the causes of the disaster and recommend safety improvements for future deep-sea expeditions.
Lochridge’s Critique of OceanGate’s Operations
Lochridge’s remarks also highlight alleged cost-cutting measures by OceanGate, particularly under Stockton Rush’s leadership. “Stockton liked to do things on the cheap,” Lochridge claimed, suggesting that financial considerations may have compromised the safety and reliability of their expeditions. He further criticized past OceanGate missions, noting, “All the social media that you see about all these past expeditions, they always had issues with their expeditions.”
OceanGate’s Background
OceanGate, headquartered in the U.S., and its associated entity, OceanGate Expeditions, which managed the Titan’s dives, are under scrutiny. The latter is registered in the Bahamas, adding an additional layer of complexity to the investigation.
Looking Ahead
As the investigation continues, the focus remains on understanding the failures that led to the Titan disaster and improving safety protocols for future underwater exploration.
(Includes inputs from online sources)
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