The Titan accident hearing shows the depths of OceanGate’s alleged negligence

The federal hearing on the Titan accident, the scandalous implosion of an OceanGate submersible during a trip to the Titanic wreckage, ended recently and opened the door for many consequences.

The Coast Guard’s inquiry on the accident ended with the testimony of former workers, clients, and experts who ripped the company apart or defended it against allegations of negligence.

The most poignant testimony came from a former employee at the firm, Matthew McCoy, who testified under oath that the company's CEO said he was willing to bribe Congress members to avoid complying with US regulations.

The comments suggest that OceanGate cut corners and reduced crucial security measures to develop its deep-sea exploration business.

Mr. McCoy also said the company registered its users as “mission specialists” instead of consumers, allowing it to classify its expedition as research instead of tourism and have less oversight.

He also expressed concern when the company cut ties with the Applied Physics Lab at the University of Washington, a respected institution in submarine design.

According to the New York Times, Mr. McCoy resigned after hearing the CEO’s bribery intentions in a pub. That was in 2017, more than five years before the accident that killed the company.

“A catastrophic implosion” is how the US Coast Guard described the accident that destroyed the OceanGate submersible in the summer of 2023, killing all its passengers.

Image: Instagram / @oceangate

The submersible had five passengers: three billionaire British citizens, including a 19-year-old, French Titanic expert, Paul-Henry Nargeolet, and the CEO of OceanGate, Stockton Rush.

The Titan went missing on June 18 near the wreckage of the Titanic with 96 hours of emergency oxygen. The ship that carried it lost contact approximately one hour and 45 minutes after it dived.

Image: Instagram / @oceangate

Rescue teams hoped to find the Titan intact with five survivors before the oxygen ran out. Authorities spared no resources, and the world stopped to watch them battle against time.

Image: OceanGate / Handout

After the time ran out, the US Coast Guard found pieces of debris from the Titan. Authorities assembled a Marine Board of Investigation to examine the accident and the evidence found near the implosion site.

The search and subsequent investigation drew international attention to company scandals, and the internet became obsessed with them, especially because of the elevated cost of the trip: $250,000 per person.

The subsequent scandal came when several media outlets revealed that the company had received warnings from experts for years about the safety of its submersible.

Weeks after the accident, OceanGate announced it would suspend all operations. A short message on their website gave the Titan's story an ending, but the consequences are far from over.

According to The NY Times, the hearing’s testimonies and report could fuel private lawsuits against the company. The Washington Post mentioned possible criminal charges.