Thu Sep 19 05:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Former OceanGate Employee Claims Titan Disaster Could Have Been Prevented
**Washington, D.C.** – A former employee of OceanGate, the company behind the doomed Titan submersible, testified on September 17th that the tragedy could have been prevented if a US federal safety agency had investigated his concerns about the submersible’s safety. David Lochridge, OceanGate’s former director of marine operations, stated that he felt let down by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for not pursuing his complaint.
Lochridge, who raised safety concerns in a 2018 report, had filed a complaint with OSHA, but it remained uninvestigated for months. He eventually abandoned the complaint and left OceanGate after facing legal action from the company.
Lochridge’s testimony echoed concerns raised by other former OceanGate employees, who painted a picture of a company focused on profit over safety. Lochridge claimed the company was “committed only to making money” and dismissed his safety concerns as “bad engineering decisions.”
The Coast Guard, which is conducting a Marine Board of Investigation into the Titan disaster, noted that the submersible had not undergone independent safety reviews, a standard practice. The Titan’s unconventional design also drew scrutiny from the undersea exploration community.
The Titan imploded during its descent to the Titanic wreckage on June 18, 2023, killing all five people on board. The incident sparked a global debate about the future of private undersea exploration and raised questions about the safety regulations surrounding such expeditions.
The Coast Guard investigation is ongoing and is expected to produce recommendations for improving safety in the marine industry. The National Transportation Safety Board is also conducting a separate investigation into the Titan disaster.
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