Asger Risom
A new report reveals the sub kept diving despite known structural damage.
A new report reveals the sub kept diving despite known structural damage.
The findings
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has concluded that Titan’s pressure hull was compromised long before its final voyage.
Damage ignored
Cracks known as delaminations appeared after a July 2022 dive, weakening the carbon-fiber shell that kept the sub intact.
A flaw from the start
Investigators found “multiple anomalies” in Titan’s design and construction that failed to meet safety standards.
Seven risky descents
Despite the damage, OceanGate continued using the sub for at least seven more dives before the June 2023 implosion.
Missed warning signs
Company analysts misread sensor data and didn’t realize the vessel should have been grounded after dive 80.
A catastrophic end
On June 18 2023, contact was lost 105 minutes into the trip to the Titanic. The sub imploded, killing all five aboard.
The science behind the collapse
At 11,000 feet, water pressure hit 5,500 psi — enough to crush the sub in under 20 milliseconds.
Engineering failures
The NTSB called Titan’s design process “inadequate,” saying it lacked the strength for repeated deep-sea use.
Repeated warnings
Experts had long criticized OceanGate for bypassing certification and using experimental materials.
The debris field
Search teams found Titan’s remains spread across 30,000 square meters of seafloor near the Titanic’s bow.
The lesson
The report lays bare the cost of ignoring engineering safeguards — and the human price of corporate overconfidence.
This article is made and published by Asger Risom, who may have used AI in the preparation
