NTSB releases final report on Titan submersible implosion

WASHINGTON - The National Transportation Safety Board has released its final report on the Titan submersible that was crushed by intense water pressure beneath the North Atlantic Ocean in the summer of 2023.

The catastrophic implosion instantly killed the four passengers and pilot, Stockton Rush, who was also the CEO of the company that owned the vessel.

What they're saying:

The NTSB found that OceanGate’s flawed engineering and testing process directly led to the catastrophic implosion of its Titan submersible during a 2023 expedition to the Titanic wreck.

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According to the report, the Titan’s carbon fiber pressure vessel sustained delamination damage after dive 80 and further deterioration following dive 82. The weakened structure ultimately suffered a local buckling failure during dive 88, causing the submersible to implode.

Investigators concluded that OceanGate failed to verify the true strength and durability of the pressure vessel, which contained multiple manufacturing anomalies and did not meet required safety standards. The company also misinterpreted real-time monitoring data, missing critical signs of structural damage that should have grounded the vessel after earlier dives.

The report also criticized OceanGate’s lack of an emergency response plan and failure to notify authorities of its expedition. While a rescue was not possible, the NTSB found that adherence to federal emergency guidance could have sped up recovery efforts and saved resources.

Beyond OceanGate, the NTSB identified regulatory gaps in U.S. and international oversight of manned pressure vessels, noting that existing voluntary standards do not adequately ensure the safety of deep-sea passenger operations.

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In conclusion, the NTSB determined the probable cause was OceanGate’s inadequate design, testing, and monitoring, compounded by insufficient regulatory safeguards and a continued operation of a damaged vessel.

What was the Titan?

The backstory:

Titan had been making voyages to the Titanic shipwreck since 2021. Owned by OceanGate, a company based in Washington state, the final dive came on June 18, 2023. The submersible was reported overdue that afternoon, and ships, planes and equipment were rushed to the scene about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland.

The Titanic rests on the ocean floor about 12,500 feet (3,800 meters) below the surface. Experts had cautioned that the submersible’s hull could implode under intense pressure at extreme depths.

The victims

The implosion also killed French underwater explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, known as "Mr. Titanic"; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood.

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Nargeolet’s family filed a $50 million lawsuit last year alleging that the crew experienced "terror and mental anguish" before the disaster. The lawsuit accused OceanGate of gross negligence.

Titan’s final dive

The vessel had been making voyages to the Titanic site since 2021. Its final dive came the morning of June 18, 2023. The submersible lost contact with its support vessel about two hours later and was reported overdue that afternoon. Ships, planes and equipment were rushed to the scene about 435 miles south of St. John’s, Newfoundland.

The Coast Guard-led team operated under the possibility that there could be survivors for several days. Wreckage was subsequently found on the ocean floor about 330 yards off the bow of the Titanic.