David Lochridge Terminated After Raising Safety Concerns
Former OceanGate employee David Lochridge has claimed that the company's Titan submersible, which imploded near the Titanic wreckage in 2018, was not safe for diving. Lochridge had raised concerns about safety and quality control issues but was fired. Emails indicate warnings from Lochridge and a friend of the CEO were dismissed. The incident, resulting in the loss of all five passengers' lives, raises questions about OceanGate's testing protocols and accountability. The diving and deep-sea exploration industry awaits the unfolding investigations with concerns about their own safety.
In a shocking turn of events, former OceanGate employee, David Lochridge, has claimed that the company's Titan submersible, which imploded near the wreckage of the Titanic on June 18, 2018, was not safe for diving. Lochridge, who served as the company's director of marine operations and chief submersible pilot before being fired for raising concerns, had warned of "quality control and safety problems" related to the Titan back in 2018.
In an email exchange with deep-sea exploration specialist Rob McCallum, Lochridge expressed his fear of retaliation from OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush due to his influence and money. Lochridge stated that he believed the submersible was "Not safe to dive" and referred to it as a "lemon." McCallum, seemingly concerned, asked if the sub could be made safe to dive or if it was a complete lemon.
David Lochridge, Oceangate's chief submersible pilot, was fired Jan 2018 by CEO Stockton Rush, for speaking up.
— 🟧Romulus🌻 (@SueRomulus) July 3, 2023
"Do you think the [Titan] sub could be made safe to dive or is it a complete lemon?" asked Rob McCallum, a deep sea exploration specialist.
Lochridge: "It's a lemon." https://t.co/xcAIAU0EJo
According to The New Yorker, Lochridge had conducted an inspection of OceanGate's submersible model in 2018 and found several critical aspects to be defective or unproven. He raised concerns about the vessel's carbon-fiber hull, which experts now speculate may have been the first point of failure during the tragic implosion. However, OceanGate leadership, including Rush, reportedly ignored the warnings and refused to have the vessel classed by an external marine certification agency.
Furthermore, emails obtained by Insider revealed that Rush had dismissed concerns from a friend, Karl Stanley, an expert in submersibles, about the integrity of the Titan after experiencing cracking noises on a dive in the Bahamas. Rush claimed that he would shut down the company before operating an unsafe vessel, stating that he would not risk the lives of crew, clients, or media until he was confident in the hull's safety.
Regrettably, all five passengers on the Titan, including Rush, lost their lives when the submersible imploded during a dive to the Titanic shipwreck. The incident has raised significant questions regarding OceanGate's testing protocol, their disregard for safety warnings, and the condition of the Titan submersible.
As investigations unfold, it remains to be seen how OceanGate and its leadership will address these grave concerns and be held accountable for the tragic consequences of their alleged negligence. The diving and deep-sea exploration industry watches intently as the aftermath of this devastating event unfolds, with many quietly fearing for their own safety in the face of potential hazards that may lurk beneath the ocean's surface.Former OceanGate employee David Lochridge has claimed that the company's Titan submersible, which imploded near the Titanic wreckage in 2018, was not safe for diving. Lochridge had raised concerns about safety and quality control issues but was fired. Emails indicate warnings from Lochridge and a friend of the CEO were dismissed. The incident, resulting in the loss of all five passengers' lives, raises questions about OceanGate's testing protocols and accountability. The diving and deep-sea exploration industry awaits the unfolding investigations with concerns about their own safety.
