Resurfaced audio shows CEO of Titan sub making damning joke before fatal disaster
The CEO of OceanGate made a joke about the risks of diving down to the Titanic in his Titan submersible just months before the disaster claimed his life.
Stockton Rush was just 61-years-old when he and four others perished onboard the doomed sea craft as it set off on a near impossible journey.
A documentary made by ITN earlier this year, called The Titan Sub Disaster: Minute by Minute, includes previously unheard recordings from the search and rescue efforts for the submersible.
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As well as that, it included a clip from a radio show with the OceanGate CEO, as he opened up on his upcoming journey to the infamous wreck of the Titanic.
The sub was destroyed by a fatal implosion on 18 June, 2023, caused by the extremely high water pressure and poor materials used to construct the sub, taking the lives of Rush and the four other people inside: British billionaire Hamish Harding, French maritime expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood and his son Sulaiman.
Attention had been generated over the design of Titan in the years leading up to the journey, as many warned him that it could potentially be unsafe for those onboard.
In fact, an email from a former OceanGate employee expressed exactly that, as he was concerned about the sub's safety and Rush's views on the matter, which were ultimately ignored.
Ex-employee David Lochridge wrote: "I don’t want to be seen as a tattle tale but I’m so worried he kills himself and others in the quest to boost his ego.
"I would consider myself pretty ballsy when it comes to doing things that are dangerous, but that sub is an accident waiting to happen.
"There’s no way on earth you could have paid me to dive the thing."
The verdict came just days after Lochridge had reportedly inspected the submersible and found a plethora of concerns.
He had sent his concerns to OceanGate project associate Rob McCallum, though both had left the company due to safety concerns by the time of the Titan's ill-fated dive.
A few months before the Titan sub disaster, Rush had been speaking on Canadian radio station St John's Radio when he joked: "What could go wrong?"
A little over four months later contact would be lost with the Titan sub while he was on board, resulting in the deaths of all five on board following the 'catastrophic implosion'.
A timeline of the Titan submersible disaster:
OceanGate's Titan submersible begins its descent
On 18 June, 2023, OceanGate Expedition's 21-foot submersible, named Titan, submerged at 8am E.T and began its tour to the wreckage of the Titanic off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
Five people were onboard the vessel with a 96-hour oxygen supply.
Who was onboard the Titan?
Onboard the vessel was OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, 61, British billionaire Hamish Harding, 58, Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, British-Pakistani billionaire Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son Suleman.
The Titan loses contact with support vessel
The Polar Prince loses contact with the Titan around one hour and 45 minutes into its descent.
A few hours after the submersible was supposed to resurface, the US Coast Guard received a report of an overdue submersible.
Search operation is launched
The US Coast Guard launch a large-scale operation on 19 June, 2023, when the vessel fails to resurface or make contact almost 24 hours on.
'Banging noises' are detected
Two days on from the Titan's disappearance on 21 June, 2023, sonar crews taking part in the search pick up 'banging noises', giving false hope that the passengers are still alive.
The Titan's oxygen supply 'runs out'
At 1pm E.T on 22 June, 2023, the submersible's 96-hour oxygen supply is predicted to have ran out, cementing fears for the crew onboard.
A 'debris field' is discovered, leading to the realisation of a 'catastrophic implosion'
The US Coast Guard confirms the Titan was destroyed by a ‘catastrophic implosion’ - a result of both enormous water pressure and failed materials - with the loss of all five people aboard.
The Titan Sub Disaster: Minute by Minute will continue at 9pm tonight (7 March) on Channel 5.
Topics: Titanic, Titan Submersible, World News, News
Joshua Nair