Liveupdated1726666367

Titan sub hearing live: First video of OceanGate submersible wreckage after implosion revealed

Footage of the Titan submersible wreckage that provided ‘conclusive evidence of the catastrophic loss’ of all five passengers on board was released by the Coast Guard on Tuesday

Article bookmarked

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

Don't show me this message again

✕

Your support helps us to tell the story

My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.

Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.

Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond

Eric Garcia

Washington Bureau Chief

A fourth OceanGate witness testified at the US Coast Guard’s hearing into the disastrous deep-sea voyage to the wreck of the Titanic that saw the “catastrophic implosion” of the Titan submersible, killing all five passengers on board.

David Lochridge, former director of marine operations for OceanGate – the US submersible company that operated the expedition – testified about the so-called “red flags” surrounding the exploration on Tuesday. The witness stated that he had “no confidence whatsoever” with the Titan’s construction.

Lochridge claimed “all the standardized rules and regulations” were bypassed as the company scrambled to “push” the launch for profit-making purposes, he told the Coast Guard’s Titan Marine Board of Investigations panel.

“It was inevitable something was going to happen. It was just a [question of] when,” he added.

Lochridge is one of 10 former employees of OceanGate among the 24 witnesses giving testimony at the two-week long hearing, which will return on Thursday.

The Coast Guard also released footage of the Titan sub wreckage, showing its mangled tail cone lying on the ocean floor.

The video taken on June 22, 2023, was “conclusive evidence of the catastrophic loss” onboard the vessel, it said.

1726665888

Hearings will resume on Thursday at 8.30am ET.

Our blog will be paused until then.

James Liddell18 September 2024 14:24

1726664432

Schedule: Hearing returns on Thursday

8:30am – Daily opening

8:45am – 10 minute recess

9:00am – Renata Rojas, OceanGate Mission Specialist

10:30am – 10 minute recess

10:45am – Renata Rojas

12:30pm – Lunch

1:30pm – Dr Steven Ross, former OceanGate Scientific Director

3:00pm – Break down

James Liddell18 September 2024 14:00

1726659032

Watch: Coast Guard releases footage that provided ‘conclusive evidence’ that Titan passengers died

James Liddell18 September 2024 12:30

1726648668

Newly-released footage of Titan sub wreckage surfaces

James Liddell18 September 2024 09:37

1726603304

David Lochridge is released as witness

Hearings will resume on Thursday at 8.30am.

Our blog will be paused until then.

Kelly Rissman17 September 2024 21:01

1726600049

Lochridge testifies that OceanGate took safety shortcuts

“The way this company was going about this project, bypassing all the standardized rules and regulations that are set in place by people with experience...they bypassed it all,” Lochridge said.

It was inevitable something was going to happen. It was just a [question of] when,” he continued.

Kelly Rissman17 September 2024 20:07

1726597848

Witnesses discuss the ‘push’ to launch the vessel

Lochridge told the panel that there was a “push” to launch the Titan.

“They were very push push push to get this out the door as fast as possible so they could start making profit,” he said on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Lochridge said he “had no confidence whatsoever” with how the Titan was being built. “There was a big push to get this done and a lot of steps along the way were missed,” including safety concerns.

The day prior, Tony Nissen, the director of engineering, also remarked on the force felt to get the vessel to set sail.

When asked if there was “pressure” to start operations, Nissen told the panel: “100 percent.”

Kelly Rissman17 September 2024 19:30

1726596002

In photos: Key moments from the hearings so far

Kelly Rissman17 September 2024 19:00

1726590150

WATCH: Titan crew's final three-word text revealed in haunting animation of submersible's journey

Kelly Rissman17 September 2024 17:22

1726587925

‘It screams like a mother before it implodes’: Rush told Lochridge, the witness recalled

When he submitted the inspection report to senior management, Lochridge said he received a message about a meeting in the board room.

“That meeting turned out to be a two-hour discussion about my termination and how my disagreements with the organization with regards to safety didn’t matter,” he told the panel.

“It doesn’t just implode. It screams like a mother before it implodes,” Rush said about carbon fiber, according to Lochridge.

The witness said the company exhibited a “total disregard for safety.”

Kelly Rissman17 September 2024 16:45

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

Already subscribed? Log in