The Titan Tragedy

Oceangate Expedition lost communication with its deep diving 5-person submarine on June 18th 2023 while transiting submerged to the Titanic wreck site. 5 people onboard were: Stockton Rush, PH Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood, Suleman Dawood, and Hamish Harding.
In this video I describe the incident in detail. I review the construction, design and system onboard the Titan. I catalog my concerns about the design and operation of this submarine. This video is my personal opinion with the limited information available to me at the time of this recording. A follow up video will be published when more facts from the investigation surface.
Titan is a Cyclops-class manned submersible designed to take five people to depths of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) for site survey and inspection, research and data collection, film and media production, and deep sea testing of hardware and software. Through the innovative use of modern materials, Titan is lighter in weight and more cost efficient to mobilize than any other deep diving submersible. A combination of ground-breaking engineering and off-the-shelf technology gives Titan a unique advantage over other deep diving subs; the proprietary Real Time Hull Health Monitoring (RTM) systems provides an unparalleled safety feature that assesses the integrity of the hull throughout every dive. The use off-the-shelf components helped to streamline the construction, and makes it simple to operate and replace parts in the field.
Paired with a patented, integrated launch and recovery platform, Titan is easy to operate in varying sea states using a local appropriately sized ship for the project. In coastal waters this means we do not need a large support ship with a crane or A-frame.
#oceangate #controler #titan
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[snowstalker]

Why do I get the feeling that his real reason for not wanting to hire submariners is that he was tired of them telling him he shouldn't do a bunch of the things he was doing?

[Rod_Knee]

The CEO's dismissive attitude towards SME's should have been a red flag to anyone looking to get involved with Oceangate.

[Jergling]

Small correction: They did hire a subject matter expert in marine and submarine safety, then fired him for trying to require basic safety mechanisms. He publicized their failure to test their claims, so they sued him.

[MundMoriginal]

James Cameron, completely over engineering the husk in order to be 200% sure the thing holds on the one time only expedition. OceanGate: Inspiring tuna can go

[DigitalNeb]

Whenever someone starts talking about a cheaper way to go to extreme depths, you know there's going to be a disaster.

[dpgjod]

I believe the reason he didn’t want ex-Navy submariners is because they would never dive in an uncertified submersible.

[RounderRounder]

Let’s be honest, it’s very unlikely this ends well.

[jwilliam]

Operating the sub was the easy part. Building a pressure vessel that can stand up to *repeated* pressure cycles and be *verified* prior to every descent that it is still competent to handle the design depth is the hard part. Along with all the other design flaws discussed herein.

[MindHunger]

As an Engineer (EE), the fact that the controller is wireless and not wired tells me the people who designed this had absolutely no concept of risk assessment and mitigation.
_edit: added EE_

[hedgeearthridge]

Rush was really working AGAINST innovation, all the safety standards and the knowledge of experienced submariners IS innovation that you're supposed to add to. It's like designing a car without ABS, seatbelts, air bags, crumple zones, collision prevention systems, etc and claiming your car is more "innovative". No you made a death trap from a century ago, it's a regression in every way!

[raymondrobbins]

I was a submariner, got out in 1986 as a chief of the boat. You are spot on regarding everything you said, I was thinking all of the same things you did plus a little bit more. Was there any pre dive procedure or checklist? What about post dive inspection procedure? How about scheduled maintenance? What about an emergency blow system or at least an ability to drop ballast? Did they ever conduct casualty drills or at least write procedures? It is clear that from the CEO on down they did not understand the complexity and dangers associated with diving in a marine environment. There is no rescue vehicle (DSRV), that could be on station before the air runs out, there is no DSRV that can mate with this thing due to the location of the 17 bolt door, and you would probably need some type of mechanical arm to remove the bolts. No such thing exists. As you mentioned, how did they know their air supply was adequate for 96 hours; was hyperventilation due to panic considered in that number? They will not be saved and most likely the submersible will never be recovered. It is ridiculous to believe the Coast Guard will find this thing with their sonar, it is too small a feature to be distinguished from the bottom profile with active sonar and there is not enough machinery noise (if any) to be heard passively above the surface background noise. (I am a sonar systems expert and was an instructor in the tactical training department at the Sub base in Groton, CT) One final thing, the media and just about everyone else are calling this vessel a submarine, it is not a submarine. Submarines are autonomous, this vessel is a submersible and requires a support ship to function. The ocean does not forgive.

[jonskowitz]

When i listen to Stockton talk, i get the impression that he hired exclusively young engineers specifically because they would be easier to manipulate into doing what he wanted instead of what they should be doing.

[fowler]

He wanted younger "inspirational" people probably because they would be much more clueless and less prone to question the overall safety of this whole operation. More easily expendable for his business in case anything bad happen, just blame them on their lack of experience and knowledge, probably much cheaper as well. This CEO guy really rises red flags every time is opening his mouth. Incredible people would trust him.

[meh]

i am convinced that the whole "not hiring 50 year old white guys" thing is just a ploy to avoid highly experienced people that would take one look at this submersible and start raising safety concerns. he wanted people that didn't have the experience or knowledge to call him out, and this was his way of doing so while also looking like the good guy.

[CephalopodsRock]

This CEO did a fantastic job of providing video and audio clips that will absolutely destroy his company's chances of winning any of the coming litigation against them

[tyronesullivan]

That interview with the CEO screams recklessness. Ignoring safety protocols is not inspiring, it's potentially suicidal. The need for experience (even using consultants as SMEs) is essential. Thank you for a very comprehensive overview of this tragedy. Very educational. Contrary to the late CEO of Ocean Gate's opinion, old 50 year olds have great value when they have operational knowledge and experience.

[robertperry]

Hiring experienced “old guys” is smart. These veterans have years of experience and have survived decades of dealing with deep diving submarines and casualties of systems in submarines. They have experience in spotting trouble spots before things fail. It is sad that this accident has ended with the lose of life.

[matt.w]

The fact they've gone deeper than they've ever tested seems absolutely insane to me...

[Milner]

To be blunt, they are dead.

Odds are the cheaply built submersible imploded on its third trip to Titanic.

[BakkuIa]

The story of Stockton Rush is tragic, and poetically ironic. For some, it's completely outrageous and for others it's entirely comedic, but at least it ends with timeless lessons to reflect on.

He forewent safety and the wisdom of expertise, knowledge, and caution, all for the sake of a childish dream, to cut corners, and mitigate costs. When one of his own people brought up the idea of valuing life, Mr. Rush allowed OceanGate to fire him. Then they sued the man and forced a settlement. They had previously advertised the Titan as meeting or exceeding the safety standard of DNV certification, despite never receiving, or even intending to receive, such a license. Over three dozen field experts expressed their safety concerns, and they were ignored.

In a supposed attempt to foster the next generation of expert submariners and engineers, he blocked off the likes of people who may have learned something from the Kursk disaster. People who may have been taught by those who investigated the Thresher. He ignored an entire generation of people who could realize his own dream because he didn't like hearing how downright negligent and dangerous his approach was.

He didn't learn a thing from space and aerospace. These fields are written and forged in the blood of dead men and women, and Mr. Rush chose to ignore the dead and let them go on in vain.

I just cannot understand the arrogance and idiocy needed to throw out voice communication just because you don't like checking-in while performing one of the most dangerous activities ever conceived. To have no method of escape if you managed to surface.

Thank you, Stockton Rush, for reminding and teaching people that safety and lives have no cost. That the new generation must be guided by the people that have been there and done that. I have no doubt Mr. Rush has succinctly implanted the concept of safety into his team now.

You got to live your dream, pilot your little sub, and go down with your ship. As much as the man infuriates me, I respect that he put himself through the same reckless adventure as his passengers. The man had no fear of the deep in his little pillsub. I have no doubt he wholly believed The Titan was the next step in deepsea exploration and was revolutionary. Somehow that's scarier than if he knew how ridiculous The Titan was. Rest In Peace to the 4 people he brought down with him. I unapologetically wish OceanGate never recovers.