US Coast Guard Report: OceanGate CEO Ignores Warnings before Titan Implosion

The BBC has reported that the US Coast Guard has released its long-awaited findings into the catastrophic implosion of the Titan submersible, following a complex two-year investigation.

In June 2023, the Titan—operated by OceanGate Expeditions—imploded roughly 90 minutes into its descent toward the Titanic wreck site in the Atlantic Ocean. 

All five people on board were killed, including three paying passengers, the vessel’s pilot, and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.

The 335-page report concluded that Rush, who also died in the incident, ignored critical safety data in the lead-up to the disaster, due in part to a lack of external oversight.

“The absence of third-party scrutiny and reliance on limited internal expertise allowed the CEO to bypass vital inspections, data analysis, and preventive maintenance—directly leading to the catastrophic failure,” the report stated.

It further noted that OceanGate used “intimidation tactics” to avoid scrutiny, exploiting its scientific mission approvals and industry reputation to bypass regulatory oversight.

“By strategically fostering regulatory confusion and exploiting oversight challenges, OceanGate was ultimately able to operate Titan outside established deep-sea safety protocols,” the report added.

The report identified the main cause of the implosion as a failure to comply with recognized engineering standards for safety, testing, and maintenance of the submersible.