Insights from the OceanGate Titan expedition hearing highlight "global concerns at stake"
The Marine Investigative Committee meeting delved into a string of tragic missteps leading up to the explosion, concluding on Friday with a commitment to enhance future safety regulations by implementing recommendations intended to "strengthen the overall maritime domain," as announced by committee chair Jason Neubauer during a press briefing.
Irrefutably, Neubauer emphasized his urgency to swiftly complete the investigation due to international implications, leaving the door open for further hearings and expressing his inability to provide a definite schedule for the final report.
An array of more than two dozen witnesses, comprising former staff of expedition organizer OceanGate, industry experts, and maritime investigators, testified to allegations of OceanGate's CEO Richard Swanson shifting priorities towards gain and dismissing safety, disregarding regulations, and avoiding rigorous testing, all while overlooking repeated warnings regarding the potential risks associated with their experimental vessel.
Swanson perished in what authorities labeled as a "catastrophic explosion," incidentally claiming the lives of businessman Shahzada Dawood and his teenage son, Suleman Dawood; businessman Hamish Harding; and French diver and Titanic maestro Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
The Titan lost contact with its assistance ship in the early hours of June 18, 2023 – mere hours after commencing its ill-fated plunge towards the wreckage of another historical maritime calamity that occurred over a century ago. Authorities discovered the Titan's debris at the floor of the North Atlantic Ocean several days later, situated several hundred yards away from the Titanic's remains, as reported by the Marine Investigative Committee – the highest-level inquiry conducted by the Coast Guard.
Ever since that fateful morning, no manned deep-sea submersible had experienced such an implosion, according to industry experts.
Some highlights from the hearing's concluding week:
'Deciphering OceanGate's CEO's thought process'
The hearing portrayed a doomed expedition reminiscent of a contemporary Greek tragedy, with Swanson ascribed as the leading character for a company based out of Everett, Washington, that developed and managed the 23,000-pound submersible used to transport well-heeled passengers on $250,000 plunges to the depths.
OceanGate representatives declined to comment on specific questions related to Swanson's testimony. In a statement, the firm expressed condolences to the victims' families, revealed it had ceased operations, and stated it had cooperated with the Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board probes.
“There are no words to console the grief endured by the families affected by this horrendous incident, but it is our hope that this hearing will help elucidate the cause of the disaster,” the statement concluded.
Neubauer declared that the testimony provided significant insight into the potential motivations underpinning Swanson and his company.
“Indubitably, as part of our investigation, we aim to understand the thoughts that propelled the person in charge of the ship and the CEO – Swanson – to conduct the operations,” he told reporters.
Peter Girguis, a Harvard University professor and marine biologist who observed the hearing, told CNN that evidence of Swanson's egotistical attitude and blatant disregard for repeated safety concerns appear to vanquish him as a central figure in the catastrophe.
“Swanson will join the ranks of other individuals who sought glory and their own success by jeopardizing the lives of other people,” Girguis stated.
“Swanson had the ability to conduct this dive solo, but it would not have garnered the renown of taking a renowned Titanic researcher to the deep, a wealthy businessman, and one of his children ... Swanson was attempting to establish himself as the pioneer who simplified access to the deep sea, and access to the deep sea is not easy. However, when it is carried out correctly, it is absolutely safe. But I would never liken it to being simple.”
The final investigation report may recommend criminal charges
The committee's final report could advocate for recommendations to Coast Guard leadership, including the creation of new safety regulations for submersibles or even a referral to the US Justice Department for potential criminal charges.
“If a criminal investigation ensues, it would be entirely independent from the administrative investigation, which is being conducted by the marine board,” Neubauer explained to reporters.
Karl Stanley, a submersible operator who manages a tourism company in Honduras, testified about his past collaborations with Swanson on another OceanGate submersible fitted with an earlier version of the Titan's hull. During a 2019 dive, the carbon fiber hull allegedly emitted cracking noises similar to breakage, according to Stanley. He recalled Swanson's fixation on legacy as a deep-sea explorer and his “desire to leave an indelible mark on history” while circumventing safety concerns about the experimental nature of the ship.
“This cannot be considered an accident, it was a crime,” Stanley wrote in an email following his testimony. “While Swanson was certainly the principal figure, there are many others involved who deserve scrutiny.”
Donald Kramer, an engineer from the National Transportation Safety Board, testified that the carbon fiber hull exhibited a multitude of imperfections, including wrinkles, pores, and voids that potentially weakened the structure.
Coast Guard authorities identified that the commandant would decide on a criminal referral to the Justice Department.
“Swanson was the CEO and he was responsible for these choices,” Girguis commented on OceanGate's management style. “And to me, the roles of others should be defined, and there should be some accountability, but ultimately, the responsibility lies with him. He is primarily accountable for this tragedy, and there were others who helped him. It remains to be seen how these individuals who enabled him will be held accountable.”
The trial featured testimonies regarding a supposedly deceitful corporate culture at the company, allegedly prioritizing profits over scientific practices and ethical standards. The company even asked employees to forgo their wages during tough economic times.
During the hearing on Tuesday, Amber Bay, the former administration director, explained that the company proposed a plan to delay wage payments in exchange for a small interest rate and payment at a later date.
Bay stated, "We were in a bit of a tight spot, and Stockton had come up with an offer, which I believe was with the help of an attorney or someone like that, for us to postpone our paychecks and earn a small amount of interest, which we would then recoup at a later time."
Phil Brooks, the former engineering director, testified on Monday that he perceived the request as a reflection of the company's financial struggles leading to potential compromises on safety.
Brooks recalled, "The company asked us for volunteers to forego pay for certain periods of time, with the promise that we would catch up on paychecks after the New Year."
He added, "I don't think anyone took this offer, but it was clear that the company was under immense financial pressure, which led to decisions and actions that ended up compromising safety to an unacceptable degree."
Brooks confirmed that this situation was among the factors leading him to leave the company.
Contrary to Brooks' claims, Bay denied sensing any desperation from the company to meet expectations. Instead, she acknowledged an urgency to fulfill promised deliveries and a strong commitment to achieving this goal, but assured that safety was never compromised for the sake of time or pressure.
Emails exchanged between Rush and Stanley in 2019 revealed the pressures and challenges faced by the company during that period.
In one email, Rush expressed concern about potential exploitation of their clients, prompting Stanley to respond, "I don't think if you push ahead with dives to the Titanic this season, it will be succumbing to financial pressures; rather, it will be succumbing to pressures created by your own ambition driven in part by your ego to accomplish what people said was impossible."
The hearing concluded with a moment of silence in honor of the victims. Five years prior to the Titanic's collapse, a group of marine engineers, scientists, policymakers, and educators drafted a letter expressing concerns about OceanGate's safety.
Although this letter was never formally delivered, Rush eventually read it, and he and William Kohnen, an influential figure in the industry, discussed the key issues in a phone call.
The letter raised concerns over the "confusing and misleading" language on the company's website, implying that the Titan was "classed," or certified, to industry standards. Rush acknowledged this concern and later updated the website to clarify that the submersible was "experimental."
Kohnen appreciated the change but mentioned that the public might not fully comprehend the implications of this distinction. He acknowledged the lessons learned from this experience.
The letter protested OceanGate's decision not to pursue classification, arguing that the process would take too much time and money. The classification experts, according to Rush, failed to understand his technology.
Kohnen argued for a third-party validation of the Titan's safety and saw this as a necessary step for the company, but Rush remained unconvinced. "It wasn't registering," said Kohnen, expressing his disappointment in Rush's unwillingness to change his stance.
Kohnen deplored the fact that Rush seldom encountered opposition to his decisions and felt that Rush struggled to comprehend the concept of being told "no."
At the end of their conversation, Rush made threats to leave the Marine Technology Society but was met with strong resistance from Kohnen. "Stockton, you never paid to be part of this association. You are a member of the brotherhood, a part of the community, and you have a responsibility to everyone... So, no, you cannot leave," Kohnen asserted.
The hearing eventually concluded with a moment of silence for the victims in the North Atlantic Ocean 15 months prior.
During the conclusion of the hearing, Neubauer stated, "We aim to understand the thoughts that propelled Swanson, the CEO of OceanGate, to conduct operations that potentially contributed to the disaster." Later, Girguis remarked, "Swanson will join the ranks of individuals who sought glory and endangered others' lives in their pursuit of success."
