Mon Sep 23 20:11:53 UTC 2024: ## OceanGate Co-founder Testifies at Titan Sub Implosion Hearing

**The US Coast Guard’s second week of hearings into the fatal implosion of the Titan submersible began with testimony from Guillermo Sohnlein, co-founder of OceanGate.** Sohnlein, who left the company in 2013, spoke about the company’s origins and its vision for deep-sea exploration. He stated that OceanGate’s initial goal was to purchase a pre-existing submersible before eventually designing their own.

Sohnlein expressed that he was unaware of the details leading to the tragedy and hoped that deep-sea exploration would continue despite the tragic incident. He emphasized that OceanGate’s focus was on exploration, not tourism, and that he believed the incident should not deter future ventures into the deep ocean.

**The hearing also saw testimony from former OceanGate employees, including Phil Brooks, the company’s former director of engineering, and Roy Thomas from the American Bureau of Shipping.** This week’s hearings come after last week’s revelations, including a transcript from a 2018 meeting where OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, who perished in the implosion, stated: “No-one is dying under my watch – period.”

**Last week’s hearings also revealed crucial information regarding the Titan’s final moments, including the crew’s last message “All good here” and new footage of the wreckage.** Witnesses also expressed concerns about the submersible’s safety, with one former employee warning that the tragedy was “inevitable.”

**The US Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the Titan’s implosion and is examining the company’s safety protocols and design decisions.** The hearings are expected to continue throughout the week, with further testimony from individuals involved in the Titan project.

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