Late OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush allegedly wanted to send a huge rock band to the Titanic wreck in his ill-fated submersible.
A new documentary on the 2023 Titan tragedy, Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster, was released on Netflix on June 11. The film delves into the history leading up to the final dive of the Titan and the subsequent discovery of the dismantled submersible at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
Insights from the Documentary
The Titan documentary features interviews with former OceanGate employees, deep-sea exploration experts, and others. Joseph Assi, a videographer recruited by Rush to document the expeditions, touched on some of the ambitious plans Rush had for the submersible, including the idea of taking a rock band on board.
“They needed more exposure, that’s why we came along. The sub they were making was very basic, so the idea was — ‘Make us videos so we can catch the attention of people,'” Assi recalled.
Assi mentioned that they had “wild ideas,” including plans to take the band Pearl Jam on a journey in the submarine, along with discussions about a floating city that could submerge. However, there is no evidence that Rush had any particular affinity for Pearl Jam or that OceanGate ever officially approached the band with such an idea.
The 2023 Titan Submersible Tragedy
On June 18, 2023, Stockton Rush and four other passengers — French deep-sea explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, British billionaire Hamish Harding, Pakistani-British businessman Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son Suleman — embarked on a journey to explore the Titanic wreck, which lies over 12,500 feet deep in the northern Atlantic Ocean.
The Titan’s domes were constructed from titanium alloy, while the hull was made from carbon fibre and reinforced plastic.
The Ill-Fated Dive
Less than two hours after the Titan began its dive, the OceanGate crew lost contact with the vessel. Following four days of searching, debris was located on the seafloor, confirmed to be from the Titan. This discovery revealed that the sub had imploded, resulting in the instantaneous death of all five passengers.
Previous Successes of the Titan
Despite the tragedy, the Titan had successfully completed 13 trips to the Titanic wreck before its implosion in June 2023. The Netflix documentary showcases footage of Stockton Rush and various passengers inside the vessel, as well as scenes from the actual shipwreck.
Throughout the documentary, audio clips of “banging noises” detected during expeditions suggest that the carbon fibre hull was failing and had weakened over time. Rush described these sounds as warning signs indicating it was time to ascend to the surface.
One final sound was recorded just before the OceanGate crew lost contact with the Titan for the last time.
Conclusion
The tragic fate of the Titan submersible has raised numerous questions about the safety of deep-sea exploration and the ambitious plans of its CEO. As new information continues to emerge, the documentary provides a poignant look at the risks and dreams associated with exploring the depths of the ocean.
FAQs
What was the Titan submersible?
The Titan was a submersible operated by OceanGate, designed for deep-sea exploration, including visits to the Titanic wreck.
What happened during the Titan’s final dive?
On June 18, 2023, the Titan lost contact less than two hours into its dive and was later confirmed to have imploded, resulting in the deaths of all five passengers onboard.
Was there any plan to take a band on the Titan?
According to videographer Joseph Assi, Stockton Rush had ambitions to take a band, such as Pearl Jam, on board the Titan for increased exposure, though there is no evidence that this plan was ever pursued.
How many successful dives did the Titan make?
The Titan successfully completed 13 trips to the Titanic wreck prior to its final, tragic dive.
