Sat Jun 14 05:00:00 UTC 2025: ## OceanGate CEO Dismissed Safety Warnings Before Deadly Submersible Implosion, Documentary Reveals
**[City, State] –** A new Netflix documentary, “Titan: The OceanGate Disaster,” sheds light on the events leading up to the tragic implosion of the Titan submersible in June 2023, which claimed the lives of OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and four others during a dive to the Titanic wreck.
The documentary features a harrowing account from David Lochridge, OceanGate’s former chief pilot, who alleges that Rush disregarded his repeated safety concerns about the Titan and its construction. Lochridge claims he was ultimately fired for voicing these concerns.
Lochridge recalls a 2016 incident during a dive on the Cyclops 1 submarine to the SS Andrea Doria shipwreck where Rush, piloting the vessel, got it stuck in a debris field. Lochridge had to take over to navigate the submarine to safety. He says this incident marked a turning point, leading to his exclusion from the Titan project.
Lochridge also expressed significant worries about the Titan’s carbon fiber hull, describing it as “like Swiss cheese” with visible porosity and delamination. He further claimed that Rush pressured the engineering team, including Tony Nissen, to silence dissenting opinions.
Archival footage in the documentary shows Rush defending the Titan’s safety, stating he believed it was “pretty much invulnerable” after testing. Lochridge, however, argues that Rush’s approach to testing was reckless and lacked the necessary incremental safety measures.
In 2023, OceanGate threatened legal action against Lochridge after he reported being wrongfully terminated for raising safety concerns.
OceanGate ceased operations in July 2023 and could not be reached for comment. “Titan: The OceanGate Disaster” is currently streaming on Netflix.
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