OceanGate submarine implosion raises safety concerns in 2023

OceanGate's Titan submersible tragically imploded during an expedition to the Titanic wreck in July 2022, resulting in the deaths of all five individuals aboard, including CEO Stockton Rush. A recent hearing by the US Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation revealed that the submersible's navigation system relied on a manual process involving a hand-typed Excel spreadsheet to track coordinates. This method was criticized by former employees, who described it as inefficient and raised safety concerns that were reportedly dismissed by the company. Antonella Wilby, a former contractor, highlighted the delays caused by the manual entry of latitude and longitude coordinates, which required team members to first write down the data before inputting it into the spreadsheet. The acoustic positioning system used to determine the submersible's speed, depth, and position was not integrated into automated mapping software, further complicating the process. Other former employees echoed concerns about the safety of the Titan, with one engineering director refusing to participate in a test dive. The hearing aims to uncover the facts surrounding the incident and develop recommendations to prevent similar tragedies in the future. An animated recreation of the implosion was presented, illustrating the moment communication was lost at a depth of 3,346 meters. The investigation continues, with further testimonies expected from OceanGate's co-founder Guillermo Sohnlein. This incident has raised significant safety concerns regarding the operational practices of OceanGate and the adequacy of their safety protocols, prompting a broader discussion about the regulation of deep-sea exploration and the responsibilities of companies involved in such high-risk activities.