On June 18, 2023, the Titan submersible, operated by OceanGate, suffered a catastrophic implosion during an expedition to the Titanic wreck site, located 3,800 metres beneath the Atlantic Ocean. Tragically, all five occupants, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, were confirmed deceased following the discovery of wreckage.
New footage from the OceanGate support vessel, released as part of a BBC documentary based on the US Coast Guard’s investigation, reveals striking moments leading up to the disaster. In the video, Wendy Rush, Stockton’s wife, is seen reacting to an ominous sound while monitoring the sub’s descent. When the vessel reached a depth of 3,300 metres, a loud noise similar to a door slamming prompted her to ask the crew, “What was that bang?” She misinterpreted a subsequent text message from Titan, received shortly after the noise, as an indication that everything was proceeding safely, due to a report of the sub dropping two weights. Unbeknownst to her, the message was transmitted after the implosion had occurred.
The tragedy sparked a major international search and rescue operation after the Titan lost contact with its mother ship and failed to resurface. Subsequent investigations determined that the Titan had undergone an instantaneous inward collapse due to the immense underwater pressure, which officials termed a “catastrophic implosion.”
The inquiry has focused on the Titan’s structural integrity, particularly its carbon fibre construction, which is uncommon for deep-sea submersibles. This material is known to suffer from a problem called delamination, in which layers can separate under pressure. US Coast Guard investigators noted signs of structural weakening after the Titan completed its 80th expedition in 2022.
Witness accounts reveal that there was a loud bang heard by the passengers during their ascent. Stockton Rush had attributed this noise to the sub shifting within its frame, but data gathered from Titan’s sensors later indicated that the sound resulted from delamination rather than a movement.
The incident has raised numerous questions about the safety protocols and design of the Titan, which charged passengers nearly $400,000 per dive. A final report by the US Coast Guard detailing the investigation’s findings is anticipated later this year. Meanwhile, the tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the inherent risks involved in deep-sea exploration.