WASHINGTON — The United States Coast Guard on Tuesday released the results of its two-year investigation into the fatal 2023 implosion of the Titan submersible, calling the disaster preventable and recommending stronger oversight of submersible operations.
According to an Aug. 5 news release from the U.S. Coast Guard News, the Marine Board of Investigation’s more than 300-page Report of Investigation details the factors that led to the June 2023 incident, which killed all five people aboard during a dive to the wreck of the Titanic. It includes 17 safety recommendations aimed at tightening federal and international rules for submersibles and improving coordination among agencies.
“This marine casualty and the loss of five lives was preventable,” said Jason Neubauer, chair of the Titan investigation. “The two-year investigation has identified multiple contributing factors that led to this tragedy, providing valuable lessons learned to prevent a future occurrence.”
Investigators cited OceanGate’s inadequate design, certification, maintenance and inspection of the Titan as the primary factors. Other findings included a toxic workplace culture at the company, gaps in domestic and international regulations for novel submersible designs, and an ineffective whistleblower process under the Seaman’s Protection Act.
The report said OceanGate failed to address known hull anomalies and ignored real-time monitoring data during its 2022 Titanic expedition that should have prompted preventive maintenance before the 2023 dive. The company also did not properly store the submersible during the off season, according to the investigation.
Among the recommendations are requiring all U.S. submersibles to be documented by the Coast Guard, expanding safety requirements to cover submersibles operating commercially or for research, and restricting Oceanographic Research Vessel designations. The board also called for better Coast Guard staffing to oversee construction and inspections of submersibles, as well as new agreements with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to improve whistleblower investigations.
The findings are intended to guide future U.S. and international policy decisions on submersible safety.
The full report is available through the U.S. Coast Guard.
