OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush told staff he would not die on his Titan submersible five years before his ill-fated voyage to the Titanic, newly released transcripts reveal.
Rush was among five people, including adventurer Hamish Harding, father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood and Frenchman Paul-Henri Nargeolet, who died when the submersible imploded in June 2023.
The U.S. Coast Guard released a redacted transcript between Rush and its former director of marine operations David Lochridge from Jan. 19, 2018, as part of a high-level investigation into the cause of the implosion.
The two men were discussing a quality inspection report on the submarine’s design when the exchange became heated and Rush defended the vessel’s safety, the report said. BBC.
“I have no desire to die and I’m not going to die. I’m not going to die. No one is going to die on my watch, period,” Rush said.
OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush insisted he would not die on his ill-fated Titan submersible (pictured below) five years before it imploded.
Rush (pictured) was among five people killed when the submersible imploded in June 2023.
Rush interviewed Lochridge about his problems with the quality of the submarine’s hull, which was made of carbon fiber, and how the boat was being built and tested.
“I’m addressing what I consider to be safety concerns, concerns that I have raised verbally… and that have been dismissed by everyone,” Lochridge said.
The CEO insisted he had listened to directors’ concerns and offered solutions.
“No, I have listened to you and I have given you my answer and you think my answer is inadequate,” he said.
‘All I’ve done on this project is people telling me it’s not going to work, that you can’t do that.’
Rush insisted that the Titan is safe and that he truly believes in the submersible’s stability.
A transcript between Rush and his former director of marine operations David Lochridge (pictured) shows him redoubling his efforts to ensure the safety of the ship.
Rush interviewed Lochridge about his problems with the quality of the submarine’s hull, which was made of carbon fiber, and how the boat was being built and tested.
“I have a very dear granddaughter. I will be there. I understand this kind of risk and I face it with my eyes wide open, because I think it is one of the safest things I will do in my life,” he said.
Lochridge was fired from OceanGate after that meeting for being what he described as “anti-project.”
He said he then reported the Titan’s safety concerns to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
After contacting them, Lochridge said they put him under the whistleblower protection scheme after they deemed his concerns serious.
“I didn’t want anybody on that submersible, it was dangerous,” Lochridge told the Coast Guard committee on Sept. 17.
Lochridge said that after raising their concerns with OSHA, he and his wife received a settlement and release agreement from OceanGate attorneys.
Father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood (pictured) died on the Titanic’s journey to the wreck
Adventurer Hamish Harding and Frenchman Paul-Henri Nargeolet were on board the fateful voyage.
“OceanGate wanted me to back out of the OSHA lawsuit. They basically demanded that I pay them money to settle with them because they had to hire an attorney to represent them in the OSHA matter,” he said.
“They say if I don’t, they will contact former employers, ex-spouses, U.S. immigration, fraud, theft, it’s all included.”
He then decided to counter-sue OceanGate in federal court to allow information related to his claims into the public domain as a matter of “public safety.”
After months of back-and-forth, OSHA told her her case was on a list of 11 pending cases and it was unclear when they would investigate her claims.
Lochridge said this was difficult for him and his family and in November 2018 he decided to withdraw his claim and lawsuit against his former employer.
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