Coast Guard’s Final Report Blames OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush for Titan Submersible Implosion

The U.S. Coast Guard has released its comprehensive final report on the tragic implosion of OceanGate’s Titan submersible, unequivocally pointing blame at company CEO Stockton Rush and the organization’s “toxic safety culture” for the disaster that killed five individuals in June 2023. Released on Tuesday, the 335-page report concludes that the catastrophic event, which occurred during a deep-sea voyage to the Titanic wreckage, was “preventable.”

The investigation, culminating nearly a year after the Marine Board of Investigation’s formal hearing in September 2024, found that Rush repeatedly ignored warnings about the submersible’s safety. The report details how he threatened those who raised concerns with lawsuits or termination, and created a “false sense of safety and security” by misrepresenting the Titan’s capabilities, testing procedures, and hull integrity.

“This marine casualty and the loss of five lives was preventable,” stated Jason Neubauer, chair of the Titan MBI, emphasizing the critical lessons learned. The report also heavily criticizes OceanGate’s “inadequate design, certification, maintenance, and inspection process.” It highlights “glaring disparities between their written safety protocols and their actual practices.”

Among the five victims of the implosion were Stockton Rush himself, French explorer Paul Henri Nargeolet, British businessman Hamish Harding, and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman. While the Coast Guard’s investigation is now complete, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues its own probe into the incident. OceanGate has since suspended all operations.

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