OceanGate Titan Implosion: Submersible Had Damaged Hull for 7 Dives

The catastrophic implosion of the OceanGate Titan submersible, which claimed five lives during a deep-sea expedition to the RMS Titanic wreckage in June 2023, was caused by an already compromised hull. This critical finding comes from the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in their recently concluded investigation.

Investigators revealed that the deep-sea tourist vessel’s structural integrity was compromised long before its final, fatal journey. Evidence indicates that initial layered fractures, known as delaminations, formed in the Titan’s carbon fiber composite exterior as early as July 2022. This damage occurred eight dives prior to the implosion, meaning the submersible undertook at least seven subsequent dives with a weakened pressure vessel.

Early Signs of Damage Uncovered

The NTSB report, summarized on October 15, highlights that the pressure vessel likely sustained damage after surfacing from dive 80 in July 2022. “We found that the Titan pressure vessel likely sustained damage after it surfaced at the end of dive 80 in the form of one or more delaminations, which weakened the pressure vessel,” stated the investigators. Further weakening of “unknown origin” was noted after dive 82.

The report concluded: “The existing delaminations and additional damage that deteriorated the condition of the pressure vessel between dive 82 and the casualty dive (dive 88) resulted in a local buckling failure that led to the implosion of the Titan.”

Flawed Engineering and Monitoring

The NTSB also criticized the Titan’s engineering process, deeming it “inadequate.” This resulted in a vessel containing “multiple anomalies” that failed to meet the necessary strength and durability for repeated descents to depths exceeding 10,700 feet.

Furthermore, OceanGate’s analysis of the Titan’s real-time monitoring data was found to be “flawed.” This crucial oversight meant the company was unaware of the critical damage to the Titan and failed to remove it from service immediately after dive 80, tragically paving the way for its eventual implosion.

The Final Voyage and Tragic Aftermath

On June 18, 2023, approximately 105 minutes into its 2.5-mile descent to the Titanic, OceanGate’s surface crew lost contact with the submersible. An extensive international search operation, covering over 10,000 square miles of the Atlantic Ocean, ensued.

After four agonizing days, dive teams located the first section of debris, confirming the implosion and the deaths of all five passengers, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.

Immense Pressure and Instantaneous Implosion

In September 2024, the US Coast Guard released a map detailing the Titan’s vast 322,917-square-feet debris field, situated roughly 1,600 feet from the Titanic’s bow.

At its last known depth of 11,033 feet, the ocean exerts an astonishing 5,500 pounds per square inch (psi) of force on an object. This immense pressure would have caused the Titan to implode in less than 20 milliseconds – a speed far too rapid for the human brain to even register the event.

The NTSB’s comprehensive investigation sheds light on the critical design flaws and operational oversights that ultimately led to this devastating deep-sea tragedy.