Mon Sep 23 20:11:56 UTC 2024: ## OceanGate Co-Founder Defends Company’s Vision, Claims It Was Not Driven by Tourism

**WASHINGTON D.C.** – Guillermo Sohnlein, co-founder of OceanGate, the company behind the doomed submersible Titan, testified before a Coast Guard panel on Monday, defending the company’s vision and claiming that profit was not its primary driver.

Sohnlein, who left OceanGate before the June 2023 disaster, spoke in defense of the company’s mission to make deep-sea exploration more accessible. He outlined the company’s ambition to build a fleet of submersibles capable of reaching depths of 6,000 meters, utilizing a lightweight, cost-effective design featuring carbon fiber.

While acknowledging the risks associated with the material, Sohnlein emphasized that OceanGate worked closely with the Coast Guard during development. He also asserted that he and the company’s late CEO, Stockton Rush, were not motivated by tourism, despite the Titan’s expeditions to the Titanic wreck site.

However, testimony from other former OceanGate employees painted a starkly different picture. David Lochridge, the company’s former operations director, claimed that OceanGate was primarily focused on profit and lacked a strong commitment to science. He stated that safety was compromised due to financial pressures, leading to rushed decisions.

Phil Brooks, a former OceanGate engineering director, corroborated Lochridge’s account, describing the company’s economic struggles and their potential impact on safety protocols. Another former engineering director, Tony Nissen, testified that he refused to pilot the Titan in 2018 due to concerns about its readiness.

The Coast Guard hearing, part of a high-level investigation into the Titan’s implosion, has drawn attention to the company’s unusual design and lack of independent review. The tragedy has sparked a global debate about the future of private undersea exploration, raising questions about safety protocols and the balance between innovation and risk.

The hearing continues this week with further witness testimony.

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