In 2023, when the Titan submersible vanished during its expedition to the Titanic wreck, David Lochridge, an ex-Oceangate employee and whistleblower, felt despair for the five individuals aboard, including the company's CEO. With years of deep-sea experience, Lochridge had previously voiced worries about the sub's safety issues, leading to his termination in 2018. Tragically, the Titan imploded, resulting in all onboard perishing, and official reports later confirmed that the disaster stemmed from significant safety lapses at Oceangate.
Lochridge, who initially joined the company with enthusiasm for its ambitious Titanic exploration, revealed that he raised multiple concerns regarding the sub's design and construction. Although he believed the material selection—carbon fiber—was risky, his confidence waned as he witnessed issues upon the hull's assembly. Despite his insistence on independent safety assessments, he was met with pushback from company leadership.
In early 2018, after repeatedly expressing his safety apprehensions, Lochridge was fired. He subsequently contacted the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which later handed his concerns over to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). However, progress stalled, stymied by legal threats from Oceangate that ultimately drained Lochridge and led to the withdrawal of his claims.
The USCG's final report corroborated Lochridge's assertion that urgent intervention could have averted the avoidable tragedy. In hindsight, Lochridge expressed deep frustration at the ineffectiveness of both OSHA and USCG's communication regarding critical safety oversight. Following the Titan calamity, Oceangate ceased its operations, emphasizing its commitment to cooperating with the ongoing investigations into safety standards at sea.
