What's happened
The U.S. Coast Guard's investigation into the Titan submersible disaster is ongoing, revealing troubling insights about OceanGate's operations and safety practices. Testimonies from former employees highlight a culture prioritizing profit over safety, raising questions about the future of deep-sea exploration.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to the New York Times, testimonies from former OceanGate employees paint a picture of a company more focused on profit than safety, with David Lochridge stating, 'The whole idea behind the company was to make money.' In contrast, The Independent highlights the contrasting views of OceanGate's co-founder, Guillermo Sohnlein, who expressed hope that the tragedy would inspire renewed interest in ocean exploration. This divergence illustrates the ongoing debate about the balance between innovation and safety in high-risk industries.
How we got here
The Titan submersible imploded during a dive to the Titanic wreck in June 2023, killing all five aboard. The Coast Guard's inquiry aims to uncover the causes of the disaster, focusing on OceanGate's design and operational practices.
More on these topics
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Richard Stockton Rush III (March 31, 1962 – June 18, 2023) was an American businessman who was the co-founder and chief executive officer of OceanGate, a deep-sea exploration company.
After graduation from Princeton University, Rush worked for McDonnell
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OceanGate Inc. is a privately held company operating out of Everett, Washington that provides subsea crewed submersible solutions for industry, research and exploration.
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The United States Coast Guard is the coastal defense, search and rescue, and maritime law enforcement branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services.
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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. Federal Government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.
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The Boeing Company is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide.
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Paul-Henri Nargeolet (French pronunciation: [pɔl ɑ̃ʁi naʁʒɔlɛ]; 2 March 1946 – 18 June 2023): 1 was a French deep sea explorer and Titanic expert. Known as "Mr. Titanic", Nargeolet was one of five people who died aboard the submersible Tita