Missing Titan Sub: Former Employee Raises Safety Concerns, Massive Lawsuit Over Depths It Could Safely Travel To

In a shocking revelation, court documents have unveiled that the tourist submersible, which recently vanished during an expedition to explore the Titanic wreck, had previously encountered significant safety complaints voiced by an OceanGate employee. OceanGate is the parent company responsible for both owning the submersible and organizing tourist expeditions to the wreck site. The employee who raised concerns specifically highlighted the sub's inability to descend to extreme depths before being terminated from their position.

According to exclusive legal documents obtained by The New Republic, the case from 2018 sheds light on the safety apprehensions expressed by David Lochridge, a submersible pilot, and then-director of marine operations at OceanGate. Lochridge, who held the responsibility for the safety of the crew and clients, expressed concerns about the sub's safety. The documents reveal that these concerns came to light during a breach of contract lawsuit, as Lochridge refused to authorize manned tests of early submersible prototypes due to safety concerns. As a consequence, OceanGate terminated Lochridge's employment, subsequently leading to a lawsuit against him for the alleged disclosure of confidential information related to the Titan submersible. In response, Lochridge filed a compulsory counterclaim, asserting wrongful termination as a whistleblower unveiling quality and safety issues surrounding the submersible.

DAVID L. RYAN/THE BOSTON GLOBE/GETTY IMAGES

According to Lochridge's counterclaim, instead of addressing the concerns raised, OceanGate chose to silence him by terminating his employment, thus evading the responsibility of addressing critical safety and quality control matters.

The counterclaim provides detailed insight into Lochridge's repeated emphasis on potential risks to passengers as the Titan submersible reached extreme depths. Concerns were raised regarding flaws identified in previously tested 1/3 scale models, as well as visible flaws observed in the carbon end samples for the Titan. Lochridge underscored the necessity of non-destructive testing to detect any existing flaws that could compromise the safety of passengers and crew.

During a meeting at OceanGate's Everett, Washington facility, Lochridge faced hostility and denial of access to crucial documentation required for the inspection process. Despite verbalizing concerns about the safety and quality of the Titan submersible to executive management, Lochridge's warnings went unheeded. He meticulously identified numerous safety issues and offered recommendations for corrective actions. Of particular concern was the non-destructive testing of the submersible's hull. However, Lochridge was repeatedly informed that due to hull thickness, no scan of the hull or Bond Line could be performed to check for delaminations, porosity, and voids. Additionally, he was informed that no equipment was available to conduct such tests.

Following Lochridge's submission of the inspection report, a meeting took place on January 19, 2018, involving OceanGate officials, including the CEO, human resources director, engineering director, operations director, and Lochridge. During this meeting, shocking revelations unfolded. Lochridge discovered that the forward viewport of the submersible was only certified for depths up to 1,300 meters, despite OceanGate's intention to take passengers to depths of 4,000 meters—the approximate depth of the Titanic wreck. Lochridge learned that the viewport manufacturer would only certify it for a depth of 1,300 meters due to the experimental design provided by OceanGate, which did not comply with the standards of Pressure Vessels for Human Occupancy (PVHO). Astonishingly, OceanGate refused to invest in the construction of a viewport that met the required depth of 4,000 meters.

Alarmingly, paying passengers remained unaware of Lochridge's concerns and the presence of hazardous flammable materials within the submersible. Lochridge expressed his concerns regarding the Titan submersible once again, but OceanGate neglected to address these critical issues, ultimately leading to his termination.

The legal battle between Lochridge and OceanGate reached a settlement a few months after the initial filing, with limited progress made in court proceedings.

As of the latest update, the United States Coast Guard has conducted extensive searches covering an area of 10,000 square miles since the disappearance of the Titan submersible on Sunday afternoon. The submersible, equipped with the capability to remain submerged for approximately 96 hours, reportedly carried five individuals on board.