Tragedy Strikes: Final Message from Titan Submersible Crew
In a tragic turn of events, the Titan submersible crew’s final message before their vessel imploded was, “all good here.” This heartbreaking communication marked the last contact with the crew, who perished in the depths of the ocean. The crew, consisting of British adventurer Hamish Harding, father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, OceanGate Expeditions’ chief executive Stockton Rush, and Frenchman Paul-Henri Nargeolet, were on a mission to explore the wreckage of the Titanic.
The Grim Descent
As the Titan submersible descended towards the Titanic wreck, communication between the crew and the support ship, Polar Prince, began to falter. The crew on board the support ship repeatedly inquired about the submersible’s depth and weight, seeking updates as the vessel made its way down into the depths of the ocean. Despite the deteriorating communication, the crew aboard the Titan reassured the Polar Prince that everything was “all good here,” a chilling message that would later haunt those involved in the mission.
The submersible’s final dive on June 18, 2023, ended in tragedy as it lost contact with the support ship, leaving rescuers scrambling to locate the vessel. Ships, planes, and other equipment were mobilized to search the area approximately 435 miles south of St John’s, Newfoundland, where the Titan was last known to be. The global attention garnered by the search efforts eventually led to the discovery of the Titan’s wreckage, lying just 300m away from the Titanic wreck.
A Quest for Answers
The subsequent hearing held in Charleston County, South Carolina, aimed to shed light on the events leading to the implosion of the Titan submersible. Lasting two weeks, the hearing sought to uncover the facts surrounding the incident and develop recommendations to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Jason Neubauer of the US Coast Guard Office of Investigations, who led the hearing, expressed the profound loss experienced by the families of the crew members and emphasized the importance of understanding what transpired.
During the hearing, US Coast Guard officials revealed concerning details about the Titan submersible’s maintenance and oversight. The vessel had been exposed to weather and the elements during a seven-month storage period in 2022 and 2023, raising questions about its structural integrity. Additionally, the hull was never inspected by third parties as per standard procedure, highlighting potential lapses in safety protocols.
As the hearing unfolded, witnesses including OceanGate’s former engineering director Tony Nissen, former finance director Bonnie Carl, and former contractor Tym Catterson provided crucial insights into the events leading up to the Titan’s demise. Despite the absence of key personnel like Stockton Rush’s widow, Wendy Rush, the hearing aimed to piece together a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Scheduled testimonies from OceanGate co-founder Guillermo Sohnlein, former operations director David Lochridge, and former scientific director Steven Ross promised to offer further clarity on the events leading to the implosion of the Titan submersible. As the investigation continued, the hope remained that lessons learned from this tragedy would pave the way for enhanced safety measures in future deep-sea explorations.