Before the tragic Titan sub implosion that took his life, OceanGate CEO was heard making a lighthearted joke onboard.
Tragic implosion of Titan sub during Titanic expedition
In June 2024, the world was shocked by the tragic implosion of the Titan submersible during its expedition to explore the wreck of the Titanic.
This catastrophic event claimed the lives of all five people on board, including Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, the company that operated the sub.
The tragedy made people worry about the safety rules and procedures used by OceanGate and the dangers of deep-sea explorations.
Stockton Rush was a well-known figure in the field of underwater exploration.
He had a deep passion for the ocean and was committed to pushing the boundaries of human exploration.
His company, OceanGate, focused on building submersibles that could reach very deep parts of the ocean.
This allowed scientists, researchers, and tourists to explore areas that had never been seen before.
The ill-fated Titan submersible expedition to the Titanic wreckage site ended in disaster when the vessel imploded, killing all five people on board.
OceanGate CEO was heard making a joke before Titan sub implosion claimed his life
Recently, an audio has resurfaced of the CEO making a concerning joke about the risks just months before the fatal dive.
In an interview on a Canadian radio station, the CEO was asked “What could go wrong?” to which he flippantly replied, “What could go wrong?”
The recording that has come to light is very different from the sad events that happened just over four months later.
On the morning of June 18th, the Titan submersible began its descent to the Titanic wreckage site off the coast of Newfoundland.
However, around 1 hour and 45 minutes into the dive, the vessel lost contact with its support ship, the Polar Prince.
After nearly 24 hours of no communication, the U.S. Coast Guard was alerted to the overdue submersible.
An extensive search-and-rescue operation was launched, with reports of “banging noises” providing a glimmer of hope that the crew was still alive.
Tragically, those sounds were later determined to be the final death throes of the doomed vessel.
As the 96-hour oxygen supply on board the Titan dwindled, the grim reality set in.
On June 22nd, the Coast Guard confirmed that the submersible was destroyed in a “catastrophic implosion.”
This was caused by extreme water pressure and the poor materials used to build it.
The tragic implosion killed five people onboard
Stockton Rush, the 61-year-old CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, was among those who perished when the Titan sub met its demise on June 18, 2023.
The 21-foot submersible, operated by Rush’s company, was carrying four other passengers.
They included British billionaire Hamish Harding, French maritime expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and Pakistani nationals Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Suleman.
The doomed expedition faced criticism in the years before the tragedy.
Experts warned that the Titan’s design might be unsafe.
An email from a former OceanGate employee who had inspected the sub expressed grave concerns.
It states “There’s no way on earth you could have paid me to dive the thing.”
Tragically, those warnings went unheeded.
Just a few months before the disastrous dive, audio has emerged of Rush making a surprising joke.
He joked about the risks involved in the expedition.
