US Coast Guard issues findings on Titan submersible disaster
'It is critical that workplace culture have the ability to quickly report an emergency and work through any potential contingencies with the surface community via voice communications,' the US Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation report on the Titan submersible says.
The board also recommended that the Coast Guard report work on a new regulation that would require all submersibles in the US to be designed and built to common standards and that maintenance on them should also be regulated in the same way.
The report said the accident was an 'preventable disaster,' and cleared the captain of OceanGate's Titan submersible, Stockton Aguirre, of any blame. In its findings, the investigative board placed primary responsibility for the accident on OceanGate and the shipowner Duckworth. Testing dive the submersible, which led to its implosion, was cited as a critical factor in the investigation's conclusion.
'The safety failures and effective regulatory oversight and operation of manned submersibles and vessels of novel design that are constructed and/or operated in the United States and its navigable waterways contributed to the incident,' the Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation report says.
The company suspended operations following the incident and focused on supporting the Coast Guard's investigation until it was complete, at which point the company went out of business.
The crew members on the ocean's surface that were in communications with Titan before it imploded heard a 'bang' from the submersible shortly after it collapsed at 10,700 meters, or just under 35,000 feet, the US Coast Guard's Marine Board of Investigation report says.
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Titan submersible disaster was ‘preventable': Coast Guard report
The 2023 implosion of the Titan submersible, that killed five people en route to the Titanic, was 'preventable', the US Coast Guard said in a report released Tuesday, following its highest-level investigation into the incident. The tragedy, which unfolded off the coast of Canada, drew global attention as authorities searched for the privately owned submersible. All five on board, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, were confirmed dead. The report pointed to major issues in the design, certification, maintenance, and inspection of the submersible, and said OceanGate operated within a 'toxic workplace culture'. The company, based in Washington state, had no effective oversight or compliance with safety frameworks, domestic or international, that govern deep-sea expeditions, the report said. Marine Board of Investigation chair Jason Neubauer said the findings should serve as a 'blueprint' to avoid future disasters. 'There is a need for stronger oversight and clear options for operators who are exploring new concepts outside of the existing regulatory framework,' he said. The incident has since sparked lawsuits and calls for tighter regulation of private deep-sea exploration. Several OceanGate employees have come forward since the disaster to corroborate claims of safety lapses and internal dysfunction. (With inputs from AP)
Hans India
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US Coast Guard issues findings on Titan submersible disaster
One of those regulatory changes should be a mandate for all submersibles to be equipped with better communications systems. 'It is critical that workplace culture have the ability to quickly report an emergency and work through any potential contingencies with the surface community via voice communications,' the US Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation report on the Titan submersible says. The board also recommended that the Coast Guard report work on a new regulation that would require all submersibles in the US to be designed and built to common standards and that maintenance on them should also be regulated in the same way. The report said the accident was an 'preventable disaster,' and cleared the captain of OceanGate's Titan submersible, Stockton Aguirre, of any blame. In its findings, the investigative board placed primary responsibility for the accident on OceanGate and the shipowner Duckworth. Testing dive the submersible, which led to its implosion, was cited as a critical factor in the investigation's conclusion. 'The safety failures and effective regulatory oversight and operation of manned submersibles and vessels of novel design that are constructed and/or operated in the United States and its navigable waterways contributed to the incident,' the Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation report says. The company suspended operations following the incident and focused on supporting the Coast Guard's investigation until it was complete, at which point the company went out of business. The crew members on the ocean's surface that were in communications with Titan before it imploded heard a 'bang' from the submersible shortly after it collapsed at 10,700 meters, or just under 35,000 feet, the US Coast Guard's Marine Board of Investigation report says.
Time of India
a day ago
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2023 Titan implosion: US coast guard calls tragedy 'preventable'; points to systemic failures at OceanGate
The deadly 2023 implosion of the Titan submersible, which killed all five people on board during a dive to the Titanic wreck, was a 'preventable' tragedy, according to a new report released Tuesday by the US Coast Guard. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Titan, owned and operated by Washington-based private company OceanGate, imploded during a deep-sea expedition in the North Atlantic. All five people on board were killed, including Stockton Rush, OceanGate's CEO and the operator of the submersible. The incident triggered a massive search and rescue effort off the coast of Canada that drew global attention, but there were no survivors. The Coast Guard convened its highest level of investigation, a Marine Board of Investigation, in the aftermath of the disaster. Their final report pointed to significant failures in nearly every area of the Titan's operation, from its design to its day-to-day oversight, reported PBS News. Investigators found that the submersible's design, certification, maintenance, and inspection processes were all inadequate. A Coast Guard statement further cited a 'toxic workplace culture' within OceanGate and noted that the company's mission was hindered by a lack of both domestic and international regulatory frameworks for submersible operations. 'There is a need for stronger oversight and clear options for operators who are exploring new concepts outside of the existing regulatory framework,' said Jason Neubauer, of the Marine Board of Investigation as quoted by PBS News. 'The findings will help prevent future tragedies.' In the two years since the implosion, multiple OceanGate employees have come forward to support the Coast Guard's findings, describing unsafe practices and internal dysfunction at the company. The Titan disaster has since led to lawsuits and mounting pressure for tighter regulation of the rapidly growing private deep-sea expedition industry.
