In recent testimony before a US Coast Guard panel, Karl Stanley, a longtime friend of Stockton Rush, the CEO and co-founder of OceanGate, stated that Rush was aware his submersible venture could end in tragedy but continued with it due to a belief he wouldn’t face repercussions.
Stanley spoke during the inquiry into the June 2023 implosion of the Titan submersible, which claimed the lives of five individuals, including Rush.
According to Stanley, who has expertise in deep-sea exploration and has known Rush for over a decade, Rush harbored ambitions of leaving a significant legacy.
“He knew that eventually it was going to end like this, and he wasn’t going to be held accountable,” Stanley remarked.
He also noted that Rush, a descendant of two signers of the Declaration of Independence, had aspirations of becoming renowned through his endeavors.
During his testimony, Stanley recounted an April 2019 test dive where he heard unsettling cracking sounds coming from a Titan prototype. After raising concerns via email, he felt his relationship with Rush became strained.
“I felt like I pushed things as far as I could without him telling me to shut up and never talk to him again,” he stated.
He emphasized that Rush’s desire to make a historical impact may have contributed to ignoring serious safety concerns.
Stanley further characterized the situation surrounding the Titan’s fatal voyage as avoidable.
“The definition of an accident is something that happened unexpectedly and by sheer chance. There was nothing unexpected about this,” he stated.
Stanley implied that the risks were apparent to anyone informed about the vessel’s conditions.
He criticized OceanGate’s practice of labeling paying passengers as “mission specialists,” describing it as an attempt to sidestep accountability regarding regulations.
“It’s clearly a dodge with trying to get around US regulations with passengers,” Stanley claimed.
He also pointed out fundamental flaws in OceanGate’s business model, asserting that it lacked a scientific foundation and prioritized profit over safety.
Amber Bay, OceanGate’s director of administration, acknowledged the company’s commitment to fulfilling their promises to paying customers, which included a price tag of $250,000 per ticket.
“There definitely was an urgency to deliver on what we had offered,” she stated.
The Titan imploded during its descent to the Titanic wreck site on June 18, 2023, less than two hours after beginning its dive. The Coast Guard has been actively investigating the incident, with recent footage showing pieces of the submersible scattered across the ocean floor, revealing concerns about the carbon fiber material used in its construction.
During the inquiry, evidence was presented indicating that the Titan’s hull, made from carbon fiber, exhibited signs of delamination and other weaknesses that could have contributed to its failure. Experts from the National Transportation Safety Board discussed previous incidents, including a loud bang reported during a dive in 2022, which may have compromised the sub’s structural integrity.
The Coast Guard’s investigation continues, with experts aiming to identify the precise causes of the tragedy and offer recommendations to prevent future incidents.
FOX News, New York Post, and BBC contributed to this report.
