New $50 Million Lawsuit Makes Disturbing Claim About Titan Sub Disaster
It's been over a year since OceanGate Expeditions' Titan submersible imploded in the depths of the North Atlantic Ocean. Now, a new lawsuit alleges that the disaster was more horrifying than we originally thought.
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00:00It's been over a year since OceanGate Expedition's Titan submersible imploded in the depths of
00:05the North Atlantic Ocean. Now, a new lawsuit alleges that the disaster was more horrifying
00:09than we originally thought. On June 18, 2023, the submersible left the coast of Newfoundland
00:14to tour the wreckage of the Titanic. An hour and 45 minutes later, communication with the
00:18crew was lost, and a desperate search ensued. On June 22, hopes for a recovery of the sub
00:23and a rescue of the five lives inside quickly dissipated as debris from the submersible
00:28was found deep in the ocean.
00:29Our most heartfelt condolences go out to the loved ones of the crew."
00:36Ultimately, it was determined that the Titan submersible imploded due to a variety of factors,
00:41including a composite hull built from carbon fiber and titanium, which bend differently
00:45under immense oceanic pressures. OceanGate founder Stockton Rush, deep-sea explorer Paul
00:50Henri Nargele, businessman and pilot Hamish Harding, businessman Shazada Dawood, and his
00:54son Suleiman died instantly, but not before they knew their fates.
00:59At least, that's what a new $50 million lawsuit from Nargele's family claims. It reads, in
01:04part,
01:05"...by experts' reckoning, they would have continued to descend in full knowledge of
01:07the vessel's irreversible failures, experiencing terror and mental anguish prior to the Titan
01:12ultimately imploding."
01:14As the New York Post explains, individuals like engineer Jose Luis Martín estimated
01:18that the crew knew about their fate for anywhere between 48 and 71 seconds before the unthinkable
01:23occurred. They were helpless to stop it as the sub's electricity and emergency measures
01:27failed and the sub tilted vertically, sending all of its passengers tumbling on top of each
01:31other.
01:32Besides obvious concerns of justice and the resolution of grief, Nargele attorney Tony
01:36Busby said in a statement,
01:38"...we are hopeful that through this lawsuit we can get answers for the family as to exactly
01:41how this happened, who all were involved, and how those involved could allow this to
01:45happen."
01:46Some of those answers lie with Nargele.
01:48According to the Nargele family lawsuit, the explorer visited the Titanic more than anyone
01:52else alive, including Titanic director James Cameron, and was dubbed Mr. Titanic for his
01:56seven total dives to the ship. In other words, if anyone knew about general procedures and
02:00safety protocols when visiting the Titanic, it was Nargele. He was even director for underwater
02:05research at RMS Titanic Incorporated, which owns the salvage rights to the wreckage.
02:09The lawsuit emphasizes that Nargele wouldn't have participated in the dive if he had been
02:13aware of the Titan's potential for failure. As such, the lawyers representing the Nargele
02:17family assert that Stockton Rush was not honest with the explorer about these shortcomings.
02:21Furthermore, the lawsuit essentially claims that the Titan was Rush's ego project, a means
02:26of demonstrating how he was an industry disruptor along the lines of Elon Musk or Steve Jobs.
02:31This would at least, in part, explain the Titan's weird and ultimately deadly design,
02:35which even featured a video game-like controller. As the lawsuit reads,
02:39"...the catastrophic implosion that claimed Nargele's life was due directly to the persistent
02:43carelessness, recklessness, and negligence of Oceangate, Rush, and other defendants in
02:47their design, construction, and operation of Titan."
02:50Besides the Nargele lawsuit, the Associated Press reports that the Coast Guard will be
02:54holding a public hearing about the Titan disaster in September this year. The Coast Guard said
02:58in a statement,
02:59"...the hearing will examine all aspects of the loss of the Titan, including pre-accident
03:02historical events, regulatory compliance, crew member duties and qualifications, mechanical
03:07and structural systems, emergency response, and the submersible industry."
03:11Needless to say, things are not looking good for Oceangate. At present, the company's website
03:15is completely shut down and simply reads,
03:18"...Oceangate has suspended all exploration and commercial operations."