OceanGate: Titan sub boss said 'no one is dying on my watch' years before fatal dive

The CEO of the downed Titanic submersible said successful 2018: “No-one is dying nether my ticker - period” erstwhile confronted astir information astir 5 years earlier the calamity which killed each those connected board.

When Mr Lochridge raised information concerns, Mr Rush responded: “I person nary tendency to die... I deliberation this is 1 of the safest things I volition ever do.”

He added: "I've listened to them, and I person fixed you my effect to them, and you deliberation my effect is inadequate."

During the submersible's last dive connected June 18, 2023, the unit mislaid interaction aft an speech of texts astir Titan's extent and value arsenic it descended.

The enactment vessel Polar Prince past sent repeated messages asking if Titan could inactive spot the vessel connected its onboard display.

One of the past messages from Titan's unit to Polar Prince earlier the submersible imploded stated, "All bully here.” 

Wreckage of the Titan was subsequently recovered connected the water level astir 300 metres disconnected the bow of the Titanic, Coast Guard officials said.

A transcript was released by the US Coast Guard arsenic portion of its enquiry into the June 2023 disaster.

During 2 weeks of hearings, investigators are seeking to uncover what led to the tragedy, and to debar a repeat.

Mr Lochridge, who gave grounds astatine the nationalist enquiry past week arsenic a erstwhile OceanGate employee, had compiled a “quality inspection report”, which raised superior problems with the sub’s design.

These included concerns astir the mediocre prime of the sub’s hull and its construction.

He told the enquiry past week: "[A] gathering turned retired to beryllium a two-hour, 10-minute discussion… connected my termination and however my disagreements with the organisation, with regards to safety, didn't matter."

The 2018 gathering was recorded, and the transcript captures Mr Lochridge saying: "I americium addressing what I presumption arsenic information concerns, concerns I person mentioned verbally… which person been dismissed by everybody."

Mr Rush replied: “I've got a bully granddaughter. I americium going to beryllium around. I recognize this benignant of risk, and I'm going into it with eyes unfastened and I deliberation this is 1 of the safest things I volition ever do.”

He past added: “I tin travel up with 50 reasons wherefore we person to telephone it disconnected and we neglect arsenic a company. I'm not dying. No 1 is dying nether my ticker - period.”

Mr Lochridge was fired aft the meeting.

OceanGate said it has been afloat co-operating with the Coast Guard and each different investigations since they began.

Titan had been making voyages to the Titanic wreckage tract going backmost to 2021.