David Lochridge, a whistleblower from Oceangate, shares insights on the safety lapses regarding the now-imploded Titan submersible, highlighting systemic failures and urging for more preventive action in the industry.
Titan Whistleblower Reveals Failures Leading to Submersible Disaster
Titan Whistleblower Reveals Failures Leading to Submersible Disaster
Former Oceangate director David Lochridge speaks out after safety concerns were ignored, leading to the tragic Titan implosion.
David Lochridge, a former director of marine operations at Oceangate, has come forward to voice serious concerns about the company's safety practices prior to the tragic implosion of the Titan submersible in June 2023, which resulted in the loss of five lives, including that of CEO Stockton Rush. Lochridge, who was dismissed from Oceangate in 2018 after raising alarms about safety issues, expressed deep regret that his warnings went unheeded. "I knew if they kept going with that deficient equipment, there would be an incident," he stated.
Oceangate aimed to provide paying passengers with thrilling dives to the Titanic wreckage, but Lochridge claims that essential safety protocols were discarded in favor of ambitious timelines. Following a detailed investigation by the US Coast Guard (USCG), it has been established that the company's negligence in safety measures and equipment maintenance played a pivotal role in the incident.
Lochridge, who boasts more than 25 years of maritime experience, initially joined Oceangate with enthusiasm, collaborating on the vessel design. However, his confidence diminished when he learned that the project would no longer involve independent safety certifications and instead would be handled internally by the company. He noticed quality issues right from the onset, including severely flawed components and design aspects that posed serious risks.
During what he described as a confrontational meeting with Rush in January 2018, Lochridge reiterated his safety concerns, only to be dismissed and terminated shortly after. With a commitment to ensuring public safety, he reported his worries to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Sadly, Lochridge found that OSHA's investigation did not provide the protections he expected, leading to retaliatory legal action from Oceangate against him and his wife.
As time passed, pressure mounted, and the case against him became unsustainable. Lochridge decided to drop his claims, resulting in the cessation of OSHA's inquiry into the safety of the Titan. The case remains a significant example of industrial negligence, with Lochridge blaming both Oceangate and US authorities for failing to act before the catastrophe occurred.
In light of the disaster, the Coast Guard has acknowledged that they could have intervened earlier, revealing that if Lochridge's warnings had been acted upon, the tragedy might have been prevented. As a response to the natural disaster's fallout, Oceangate has shuttered its operations and committed to cooperating with ongoing investigations, marking a somber chapter in the field of deep-sea exploration.
