DEEP REGRETS
Titanic tour firm OceanGate sued for $50m by victim’s family for sending explorer on ‘doomed & flawed submersible trip’
The investigation into the implosion is still active over a year later
THE family of one of the victims of the Titan submersible tragedy is now seeking a wrongful death lawsuit of more than $50 million.
The Titan submersible, owned by OceanGate, imploded last June on a destination visit to see the Titanic wreck in the North Atlantic Ocean.
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Paul-Henri Nargeolet was among the five voyagers who died in the submersible when it imploded underwater.
Nargeolet was a French explorer and known in the diving community as "Mr. Titanic."
He participated in 37 dives and was a part of the first expedition to the Titanic in 1937.
Nargeolet's estate argued that OceanGate failed to disclose key facts about the submersible in court documents obtained by The U.S. Sun.
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They added that the submersible was "doomed" and had a "troubled history," which wasn't disclosed.
Even though Nargeloet agreed to participate in the voyage, his estate's attorneys are alleging that OceanGate "purposefully concealed" information about the vessel.
"Decedent Nargeolet may have died doing what he loved to do, but his death – and the deaths of the other Titan crew members – was wrongful," the lawsuit reads.
"Rush concealed dangers of which he was aware, specifically providing only certain information to his crew and the public at large."
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The attorneys are now hoping to get answers for the family.
OceanGate has suspended operations since the incident.
Billionaire Larry Connor to visit Titanic wreck in 2-person sub to 'prove trek can be done safely' after Titan tragedy
DOOMED EXPEDITION
Nargeloet embarked on an expedition with OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and three other explorers - Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood - in the North Atlantic Ocean on June 18, 2023.
The submersible lost contact with its support ship just two hours after beginning its journey.
The story caught global attention as the world waited in anticipation to find the missing five travelers.
Just two days later, the Coast Guard announced that they discovered debris consistent with the submersible.
The US Navy then confirmed that sensors detected a likely implosion that killed the five passengers instantly.
The shocking incident prompted national outrage and a conversation on the dangers of unofficial deep-sea exploration.
The safety of the submersible was immediately called into question and an investigation was launched into OceanGate's safety standards.
Marine experts expressed concerns with the Titan's expeditions as far back as 2018.
Will Kohnen, the chair of the Marine Technology Society's Submarine Committee, said at the time that the Titan's disappearance didn't surprise him.
Kohnen wrote a letter to Rush in 2018 citing "unanimous concern" for his company's missions.
The vessels were not certified by an independent marine agency the submersible only completed 13 out of 90 dives since expeditions began in 2021.
The Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board are still investigating the incident to determine the exact causes of the implosion.
The Coast Guard located the rest of the Titan submersible debris and presumed human remains of the victims in October 2023.
The NTSB, Coast Guard, Marine Board of Investigation, Transportation Safety Review of Canada, and the French Marine Casualty Investigation Authority held a joint evidence review the following November.
The investigation is still underway and a spokesperson for the Coast Guard recently told that they are in a "fact-finding phase."
A public hearing is anticipated to come by the end of the year.
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CONTINUED WARNINGS
Rob McCallum, who has led seven dives to the Titanic, previously told The Sun that he warned Rush that the submersible wasn't safe.
McCallum founded the company EYOS, a similar luxury expedition company.
"I run an expedition company that had delivered over 1,500 expeditions - we are not cavalier, we manage risk as far as we can.
"So when OceanGate say things like exploration involves risk, yes it does, but that doesn't give you carte blanche to ignore obvious danger."
McCallum added that he told the OceanGate CEO that an independent agency should test the vessel, but he refused to listen.
He warned Rush that using carbon fire material can't withstand the depths of the Titanic wreck site.
Titanic Submersible News
Everything you need to know about the missing submarine, which vanished near the Titanic on June 18, 2023.
- What happened to the OceanGate Submersible?
- When did it go missing?
- Who is Hamish Harding?
- How deep is the Titanic in the ocean?
- Could the passengers escape the submarine alive?
- Who took part in the rescue effort?
- Who is Paul-Henry Nargeolet and what is he known for?
- Who else was missing on the stricken vessel?
- When did the Titanic sink and have people explored the wreckage before?
NEW DANGERS
Despite the tragic implosion of the Titan, rogue deep-sea exploration lives on.
Ohio billionaire and real-estate investor Larry Connor recently announced that he was planning another mission to see the Titanic wreckage to prove the industry is safe.
“I want to show people worldwide that while the ocean is extremely powerful, it can be wonderful and enjoyable and really kind of life-changing if you go about it the right way,” Connor told the .
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Patrick Lahey, co-founder of Triton Submarines, will join Connor on the expedition.
Connor called Lahey a few days after the Titan imploded and urged him to build a better submersible to prove to the world it was possible.
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