The CEO who was operating the Titan submersible when it tragically imploded last year, resulting in the deaths of him and four passengers, had previously crashed another submersible into a shipwreck. This incident was recounted during recent testimony, where it was revealed that after the crash, the CEO became furious and threw the controls when a distraught passenger pleaded for another pilot to take over.
David Lochridge, who oversaw marine operations at OceanGate until his dismissal in 2018, shared this account with a U.S. Coast Guard panel that is currently investigating the fatal incident from last year. He recounted how Stockton Rush, the CEO and founder of OceanGate, insisted on piloting a previous submersible known as Cyclops 1 during a dive to the Andrea Doria wreck off the coast of Massachusetts in 2016, despite Lochridge’s strong objections.
Lochridge observed with concern as Rush recklessly deployed the submersible, disregarding warnings to maintain distance from the deteriorating wreck approximately 250 feet beneath the Atlantic. According to Lochridge, Rush “smashed straight down” upon landing and then maneuvered the vessel at full speed into the wreck, causing it to become lodged underneath. In the presence of the three passengers aboard, Rush reportedly panicked, inquiring about the availability of life support and the response time of a dive team.