OceanGate: 4 facts about the lost Titan sub

• Four facts about OceanGate’s lost Titan sub. 
• A trip on the titanium and carbon fiber submersible cost $250,000.
• Meet the five crew members who died.

A few weeks ago, OceanGate’s Titan submarine was declared missing after communication with its crew members was lost. The expedition, considered high risk, had the mission of taking three civilians and two experts in handling the submersible to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean to view the wreckage of the Titanic.

The OceanGate submersible had had several successful expeditions, however, many people, including former employees, expressed their concerns regarding the safety of the vessel, which eventually imploded in June 2023.

4. An employee expressed his concern about safety measures

One of the most chilling facts about the Titan sub, which imploded after trying to reach a depth of more than 3,000 meters, is that since 2018 there have been numerous concerns regarding its safety. Among those who expressed concern was David Lochridge, a former employee of the company.

In 2018, Lochridge, who came to serve as director of maritime operations, argued in court that OceanGate had fired him after he voiced his concerns about the vessel’s safety. The CEO of the company accused him of sharing confidential information and fired him weeks later.

3. What is the relationship between the OceanGate and the Titanic?

Did you know that there is a relationship between OceanGate and the Titanic? The fascination with reaching the depths of the Atlantic was a passion shared by Wendy Rush and her husband, Stockton, the CEO of OceanGate and one of the victims of the implosion that claimed the lives of four other crew members.

Wendy Rush has a very special connection to the Titanic, as she is the great-granddaughter of the daughter of Ida and Isidor Straus, an older couple who traveled first-class on the ship. According to the British government’s national archives, the couple was swept away by a large wave while holding hands on the ship’s deck.

2. The cost to travel in the Titan sub

The cost to travel in the Titan submarine was $250,000 per person, an exorbitant amount. However, some of the people who joined the expedition in 2021 said that the approximate cost was $125,000 per person.

In cases where mechanical failures prevented descent into the depths of the ocean, OceanGate gave their clients the option to reschedule when safety conditions were optimal. When weather interfered, they received a partial refund. However, there were no refunds if the clients canceled at the last minute.

1. Who was traveling in the Titan sub?

Five people died in the Ocean Gate submarine; among them were Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, an experienced diver who had specialized in the study of the Titanic and who had traveled to the wreckage site more than 30 times.

Also in the submarine were Hamish Harding, a British businessman and space enthusiast. Finally, Shahzada Dawood, a British-Pakistani businessman who organized the trip to celebrate Father’s Day with his son, 19-year-old Suleman, rounded out the group.