The family of Mr. Titanic is suing for damages.
The "Titanic" expedition disaster with five fatalities gripped the world last summer. Relatives of "Mr. Titanic" Nargeolet are now seeking multi-million dollar damages from Oceangate, accusing the company of withholding information.
The family of Frenchman Paul-Henri Nargeolet, who died near the "Titanic" wreck, is demanding over $50 million (around €45.7 million) in damages from Oceangate, the operator of the sunken submersible. The family's lawyers claim that the company failed to disclose crucial facts about the experimental submersible "Titan," acting negligently. According to the lawyers, "Titan" had a "troubled history," and many details about its flaws were intentionally concealed from Nargeolet. Oceangate declined to comment on the lawsuit filed on Tuesday (local time) in Washington, D.C.
The five-member "Titan" crew was traveling to the "Titanic" wreck at a depth of 3,800 meters in mid-June 2023 when contact with the support ship was lost. After a days-long search that captivated the world, the coast guard found debris from the submersible on the ocean floor, about 300 meters from the "Titanic" wreck. Experts believe the "Titan" imploded, with no survivors.
Inventor refuses routine checks
After the disaster, concerns were raised about whether the "Titan," due to its unconventional design and the inventor's refusal to submit to industry-standard tests, was doomed from the start. The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the incident, with a public hearing scheduled for September.
Nargeolet, known as "Mr. Titanic," was considered one of the world's leading experts on the wreck, having visited it multiple times. He was the director of underwater research for the RMS Titanic salvage company and, according to his lawyers, an experienced underwater researcher who would not have participated in the "Titan" expedition if Oceangate had been transparent. One of the goals of the lawsuit is to "get answers for the family about exactly how this happened, who was involved, and how those involved allowed this to happen," said lawyer Tony Buzbee.
The unfortunate events surrounding the "Titan" expedition have left Nargeolet's family deeply grief-stricken. Their lawyer argues that Oceangate's negligence, including the withholding of crucial information about the submersible's "troubled history," contributed to the disaster.
