Fri Sep 20 09:14:42 UTC 2024: ## OceanGate Submersible Malfunctioned Days Before Titanic Dive, Witness Testifies
**Washington, D.C.** – A U.S. Coast Guard panel investigating the fatal implosion of the Titan submersible last year heard testimony on Thursday revealing a platform malfunction that occurred just days before the deadly dive to the Titanic wreckage.
Steven Ross, the scientific director for OceanGate, the company that owned the submersible, told the panel that the experimental craft experienced a “platform issue” in June 2023, causing passengers to “tumble about” inside. The incident took an hour to resolve, with one passenger hanging upside down and two wedged into the bow end cap. While no injuries were reported, Ross described the experience as “uncomfortable.”
The panel has heard three days of testimony that has raised concerns about OceanGate’s operational practices, including the lack of independent review of the Titan’s unusual design.
Earlier in the week, Renata Rojas, a mission specialist for OceanGate, offered a different perspective, stating she felt the company was transparent and staffed by competent individuals committed to “making dreams come true.”
However, other witnesses, including former operations director David Lochridge, painted a picture of a company focused on profit over safety and science. Lochridge testified that he frequently clashed with OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, who was among the five people killed in the implosion.
The Coast Guard has released underwater footage of the wreckage, showing the submersible’s tail cone and other debris scattered on the ocean floor.
The public hearing, which is expected to conclude next week, is part of a high-level investigation into the cause of the implosion. The incident has sparked a global debate about the safety of private undersea exploration.
OceanGate has suspended its operations and currently has no full-time employees. The company has been cooperating with the Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations since the implosion occurred on June 18, 2023.
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