Titan submarine implosion hearing: Key employee who called the submarine “unsafe” to testify

Lochridge described an incident on the Andrea Doria where he was supposed to take four paying customers to the wreck of the ocean liner that sank in 1956.

He said he was required to remain submerged for several days and keep his distance from the deteriorating wreck while aboard one of the OceanGate submersibles.

Lochridge said: ‘Unfortunately the chief executive (Stockton Rush) decided he wanted to remove it, I objected. He told me I would be out, I objected again.

“At that point, he kind of controlled me: ‘Remember, I’m the CEO, you’re just an employee,'” he told me. Eventually, I convinced him to let me participate in the diving.”

Lochridge said Rush took command of the submarine which was controlled by a Playstation controller.

Despite planning to descend for several days, Lochridge said Rush told him “don’t tell me what to do” and headed straight for the wreck.

Lochridge added: ‘It came down hard, crashed straight in and visibility disappeared everywhere.

“You could see metal plates, you could clearly see the starboard side of the Andrea Doria’s bow. It was a complete disaster.”

Lochridge said Rush continued to argue with him on the submarine despite him offering to help him get out, with two paying customers on board.

The CEO then sped towards the port side of the ship, causing it to crack, prompting him to panic, according to Lochridge.

After one of the customers yelled at the CEO to hand over the controllers, Rush slammed the controller into the side of Lochridge’s head, causing it to break.

Lochridge then managed to steer the submarine away from the wreck and back to the surface within 15 minutes.

According to Lochridge, it was this incident that left the CEO embarrassed and led to him being phased out of programs with OceanGate.

OceanGate Expeditions CEO Stockton Rush is pictured here on May 27, 2023