The OceanGate Titan Submarine Scandal

Retro

Founder
Staff Member
Joined
4 Jun 2021
Messages
5,536 (4.54/day)
I started the OceanGate submarine disaster discussion in the chit chat thead below. However, now we know the awful outcome of this disaster, I think it's worth starting it's own thread about it.

In this video, an engineer explains the various failings and shortcuts taken in the Titan's design and maintenance and especially the lack of certification and how the company dodged it through loopholes. Tellingly, the company also fired a staff member who pointed out serious problems with the submarine some time before and sued him. They then reached an undisclosed settlement with him. If this isn't enough to reek of scandal, I dunno what is. No wonder some people were wary enough to not go on it and consequently survived.

Also, this sub had made around 6 dives before it imploded. This is either a lot or a little, depending on the precise situation, includng depth, which is crucial. In this situation, it's quite a lot, especially as it doesn't appear to have been properly tested and maintained.

Also, the website has been down since 22.06.2023, not surprising really. I expect the site to stay down permanently and the company to go bust after this incident.

Personally, I'd never go down in any submarine ever, for any reason, as they're deathtraps. With cars, trains or planes, there's a good chance you'll survive an accident, quite possibly uninjured. With a sub, it will implode in milliseconds and everybody's dead, no chance of survival. No thanks.

I bet this story will run and run as the scandal unfolds.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.


Ross Kemp and others were the clever ones who stayed away from this deathtrap:

Official website which no longer works:
 

Uncrowned

Well-known member
Joined
28 Nov 2022
Messages
92 (0.14/day)
It does appear to be a tragedy that could have easily been avoided by listening to safety concerns. I feel more perplexed by this due to the sheer amount of money involved and don't quite understand why it couldn't have been built correctly if the plan was to charge billionaires. This really sounds like a "rednecks build sub and implode" story, but is dealing with people who as far as I can tell could have just bought a sub already able to achieve those depths for the tours.
 

Retro

Founder
Staff Member
Joined
4 Jun 2021
Messages
5,536 (4.54/day)
Agreed.

The whole thing was a jury-rigged pile of garbage that just a small amount of research into by any prospective customer revealed, especially rich ones with resources.

I guess it's poetic justice that the overconfident CEO, Stockton Rush, who trumpeted this thing as safe is one of the victims, otherwise it would have been 5 innocent people that died, not 4.
 

aussiefooty

Well-known member
Joined
30 Apr 2023
Messages
294 (0.56/day)
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

yikes if truthful
 

eidairman1

Well-known member
Joined
21 Jun 2023
Messages
106 (0.22/day)
I truly feel we weren't meant to go see that sunken ship.

The owner was of questionable integrity and he along with the others spending 250000 a piece paid with their lives.
 

Retro

Founder
Staff Member
Joined
4 Jun 2021
Messages
5,536 (4.54/day)
This video does a good analysis of the shoddy standards used to build and only sorta test the sub and the likely last moments: the passengers knew something was seriously wrong. Just how terrifying was that?

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 

Tiffany

Web Diva
Staff Member
Joined
13 Apr 2022
Messages
2,384 (2.63/day)
I'm still not over the game controller being used to navigate the sub.....jeez!
 

eidairman1

Well-known member
Joined
21 Jun 2023
Messages
106 (0.22/day)
I'm still not over the game controller being used to navigate the sub.....jeez!
The US Navy use XBox Controllers, sometimes off the shelf is better than spending $100 thousands on a custom unit.

This video does a good analysis of the shoddy standards used to build and only sorta test the sub and the likely last moments: the passengers knew something was seriously wrong. Just how terrifying was that?

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
Follow the money, bet bribes were made
 
Last edited:

eidairman1

Well-known member
Joined
21 Jun 2023
Messages
106 (0.22/day)
This video does a good analysis of the shoddy standards used to build and only sorta test the sub and the likely last moments: the passengers knew something was seriously wrong. Just how terrifying was that?

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
Follow the money, bet bribes were made
 

Tiffany

Web Diva
Staff Member
Joined
13 Apr 2022
Messages
2,384 (2.63/day)
The US Navy use XBox Controllers, sometimes off the shelf is better than spending $100 thousands on a custom unit.


Follow the money, bet bribes were made

For real? I had no idea. 😱

I never new how prevalent "follow the money" would become as a common theme in my life when looking at news as decades pass and finding the truths.
 

Tiffany

Web Diva
Staff Member
Joined
13 Apr 2022
Messages
2,384 (2.63/day)
The shape of its hull - the part where the passengers were - was cylindrical rather than spherical so the effects of the pressure were not distributed evenly.

A window was installed but only considered safe down to 1,300m. The US Coast Guard also heard about problems with the joins between different parts of the sub.

The hull’s material attracted the most attention - it was made from layers of carbon fibre mixed with resin.

Apparently, private enterprise submarine building/engineering has very little regulation? If it did, this sub wouldn't have been allowed to be submerged. Good article, sad story ending for those that trusted their excursion experience and didn't come back home to tell about it.
 
Back
Top Bottom