Titan Submersible implosion | OceanGate CEO caught asking “What could go wrong” before fatal trip

A new documentary on the ill-fated trip of OceanGate’s Titan submersible, which was involved in a catastrophic implosion while venturing down to the wreck of the Titanic in June 2023, has unearthed a recording of the company’s CEO, Stockton Rush, commenting before the fatal expedition.

“The Titan Sub Disaster: Minute by Minute,” which aired on Channel 5 on Wednesday evening in the United Kingdom, reveals comments made by Rush during an interview with St John’s Radio in Canada on February 9 2023 when the topic of accomodating four passengers in the small submersible would be possible. Among his explanations, the CEO eerily asked the interviewer “What could go wrong?”

"The key element with any sub, submersible or submarine, is the pressure vessel: what you're in. Make sure that thing doesn't collapse. So we spent a lot of time with NASA and Boeing and everybody else to make sure that doesn't collapse," he continued, regarding how the submersible could withstand in incredible pressure going to the depths of the wreckage.

Rush explained the reasons why the trip was scheduled in June 2023, claiming that during this period the waters surrounding the RMS Titanic were at their calmest, using the capability of the Polar Prince, the vessel used to transport the Titan, as a contributing factor to the decision. “With the Polar Prince, that ice capability we thought, let's move the mission a little earlier this year. We specifically designed the submersible for this mission," he explained.

Despite Rush's confidence, he faced criticism for allegedly disregarding significant safety concerns surrounding the Titanic expedition. Reports emerged in 2021 suggesting that Rush admitted to "bending the rules" during the construction of the Titanic tourist submersible. In 2022, he downplayed concerns about a loud noise heard during a previous dive, attributing it to routine submersible operations. 

However, critics questioned the adequacy of safety measures and accused Rush of neglecting warning signs leading up to the tragic incident. Rush along with passengers Hamish Harding, French submarine expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani-British tycoon Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, died after the submersible's implosion with OceanGate now no longer undertaking expeditions down to the Titanic since the accident.

Where can I watch “The Titan Sub Disaster: Minute by Minute?”

The documentary, originally screened in the UK by Channel 5, is available on catch-up through My5 until January 2029.