The Titan submersible was forced to abort a dive just days before its catastrophic implosion, according to testimony from former OceanGate scientific director Steven Ross. This revelation emerged during a U.S. Coast Guard hearing investigating the 2023 tragedy, which claimed the lives of five passengers exploring the wreck of the Titanic.
Ross described an earlier dive that was aborted due to a malfunctioning valve, which left at least one passenger hanging upside down inside the vessel. He noted that it took “considerable time” to rectify the issue, leading to a highly uncomfortable situation for those onboard. The submersible, which is privately operated, surfaced at a 45-degree angle, causing chaos in the cramped interior.
Inside the Titan, Ross recounted, “there’s nothing to hold on to.” He explained that the pilot, OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush—who later perished in the implosion—collided with the rear bulkhead during the incident, causing passengers to tumble about. While no injuries occurred, the experience was described as “uncomfortable and unpleasant,” taking at least an hour to resolve.
The Titan’s fateful dive occurred on June 18, 2023, when it descended to observe the Titanic wreck. However, communication was lost less than two hours into the expedition. A large-scale rescue operation was initiated, operating under the hope that the sub had merely lost power. Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that the vessel had suffered a catastrophic implosion, resulting in the presumed instant deaths of all five passengers due to the extreme pressures at a depth of over two miles (nearly four kilometers) in the North Atlantic.
The passengers included renowned British explorer Hamish Harding, French submarine expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani-British businessman Shahzada Dawood, and his son Suleman. Following the tragedy, Nargeolet’s family filed a $50 million negligence lawsuit against OceanGate.
A debris field from the Titan was discovered 1,600 feet (500 meters) from the Titanic wreck, which lies approximately 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The Titanic itself sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg during its maiden voyage, resulting in the loss of over 1,500 lives from a total of 2,224 passengers and crew.
The ongoing hearings aim to uncover the factors that contributed to the Titan’s disaster, focusing on potential design flaws or physical failures that may have led to the tragic event. As the investigation continues, the families of the victims await clarity on the circumstances surrounding the implosion that shocked the world.
