The scientific director of the company behind the Titan submersible, which tragically imploded in June 2023 while heading to the Titanic wreck, testified on September 19. During his appearance before the U.S. Coast Guard panel, Steven Ross disclosed that the submersible had experienced a malfunction just days prior to the dive. He explained that the experimental sub experienced a platform issue that caused the passengers onboard to be thrown around, resulting in a delay of an hour before they could be brought out of the water. Stockton Rush, OceanGate’s co-founder and pilot, also collided with bulkheading during the incident, but no one was injured. However, Ross described the malfunction as an uncomfortable experience for everyone involved. Unfortunately, the Titan imploded during the mission to visit the Titanic wreckage site.

In her testimony, Renata Rojas, a mission specialist for OceanGate, portrayed a different image of the company. Rojas emphasized the competence of the staff and said they were committed to fulfilling their dreams of exploring the Titanic site. She expressed that she felt the company was transparent about the risks and that she never felt unsafe. Other witnesses, however, painted a troubling picture of the company’s operations, with some, like former operations director David Lochridge, stating that the firm prioritized profit over science and safety. The hearing continues as investigators seek to understand what led to the catastrophic implosion of the Titan.