Titan OceanGate Disaster: Netflix documentary examines how tragedy happened - most shocking moments

Titan: The OceanGate Disaster recounts the events that led to the shocking fatal incident in summer 2023. Five people died in the implosion - OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, French deep-sea explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, British businessman Hamish Harding, Pakistani-British businessman Shahzada Dawood, and his son, Suleman.

The event gripped the world as search operations got underway to find the missing Titan sub and it failed to reemerge at its scheduled time. It was later confirmed that all five passengers would have died instantly after it was theorised that the pressure hull of the vessel imploded while descending to explore the wreckage of the Titanic.

Netflix’s new documentary recounts the shocking moments that preceded the fateful dive - and the warnings ignored by the company’s CEO before the fatal incident.

Here are some of the most alarming moments from the documentary.

OceanGate CEO fires experienced pilot

The Netflix documentary shows one shocking moment where OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush fired an experience sub-pilot who raised safety concerns about the vessel.

David Lochridge was the former director of marine operations at the company before a breakdown in relationship with Rush, which was prompted when Rush piloted the sub and steered it into a dangerous position during a trip to the SS Andrea Doria wreckage. Lochridge was also under the impression that the sub would eventually be “classed”, which means it is reviewed and certified by an independent body, but allegedly backed out of the project when it became clear that Rush would be pressing ahead without third-party approval.

The pilot submitted a safety report to Rush and other senior staff that outlined his concerns with the sub, and was asked to attend a meeting the next day with Rush, HR director Bonnie Carl, quality assurance director Scott Griffith, and engineering director Tony Nissen.

It was here that Rush dismissed Lochridge’s concerns telling him: “It’s completely opposite of what everyone else says. Everyone says, ‘Oh, carbon fibre can’t handle compression.’ They’re full of s*** and I’ve proven them to be full of s***.

“You know this has been an eight-year project,” he says. “I know what the hell I’m talking about.”

Lochridge suggested putting the Titan sub on a wire to add some safety to the “experimental” vessel, to which Rush replied: “I know that’s your issue. A wire is not without safety issues for one, and secondly, this is how we’re doing it, period.”

He then fired the director of marine operations, saying: “I don’t want anybody in this company who is uncomfortable with what we’re doing. We’re doing weird s*** here, and I am definitely out of the mold. I’m doing things that are completely non-standard and I’m sure the industry thinks I’m a f******* idiot.”

Lochridge would go on to submit a whistleblowing report to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), with OceanGate responding by filing a lawsuit against its former employee for breaching a non-disclosure agreement.

Stockton Rush tried to replace Lochridge with an accountant

In that same meeting where Lochridge was fired, Rush attempted to replace the outgoing pilot there and then with the HR director and accountant Bonnie Carl.

Rush reportedly tried to position her as the company’s first-ever female pilot, despite her having no experience. The audio from the meeting was played in the Netflix documentary, and Carl could be heard explaining that it would not be possible as she is an accountant, not a pilot.

She then told the documentary that it was at that point that she knew she could not continue at the company, and she also immediately departed alongside Lochridge.

Titan OceanGate sub was left outside during winter

OceanGate left the carbon fibre submarine on an exposed dock in St John’s Newfoundland throughout winter, ignoring concerns that the bitter Canadian weather could damage the vessel. The Titan was left completely exposed to the elements, with only a small blue tarp protecting the sub’s porthole.

Engineering director Tony Nissen raised major concerns that the carbon fiber material used for the body would be majorly impacted by the sub-zero temperature and may even begin to fracture and weaken the structure. According to staff, the company couldn’t afford to transport the sub back to Washington, however it was not clear any temporary storage could not have been sought.

The fatal incident in June 2023 was the first major dive since the sub had been left exposed all winter. Deceased passenger Hamish Harding wrote on Instagram days before the fateful trip that it was the first major dive of 2023 due to the “worst winter in Newfoundland in 40 years”.

OceanGate also acknowledged its lack of success with the Titanic dive, telling prospective passengers on the waiver that the Titan had only successfully reached the wreck a total of 13 times in 87 attempts. The waiver made clear to passengers the risk they were taking, mentioning the possibility of death nine times, as well as telling passengers that the sub was not certified and was “experimental”