Deadly Titan Submersible Implosion Was Preventable Disaster, Coast Guard Concludes

The U.S. Coast Guard determined the implosion of the Titan submersible that killed five people while traveling to the wreckage of the Titanic was a preventable disaster caused by OceanGate Expeditions's inability to meet safety and engineering standards. WSJ: A 335-page report [PDF] detailing a two-year inquiry from the U.S. Coast Guard's Marine Board of Investigation found the company that owned and operated the Titan failed to follow maintenance and inspection protocols for the deep-sea submersible.

OceanGate avoided regulatory review and managed the submersible outside of standard protocols 'by strategically creating and exploiting regulatory confusion and oversight challenges,' the report said. The Coast Guard opened its highest-level investigation into the event in June 2023, shortly after the implosion occurred. 'There is a need for stronger oversight and clear options for operators who are exploring new concepts outside of the existing regulatory framework,' Jason Neubauer, the chair of the Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation for the Titan submersible, said in a statement.

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