OceanGate, the deep-sea adventure company, is still actively promoting upcoming expeditions to the Titanic shipwreck on its website, despite the recent tragic incident involving its submersible.
According to their website, two missions to the shipwreck are scheduled for June 2024, and interested customers are advised to inquire about available dates, with the 2023 expedition already underway.
Notably, the website also mentions the potential presence of French diver PH Nargeolet, who unfortunately lost his life aboard the Titan submersible earlier this month.
The submersible experienced an implosion while carrying five passengers on a dive to explore the Titanic wreck. Communication with the surface vessel was lost two hours into the descent, prompting a high-profile search-and-rescue operation. OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush, was among those on board.
On Wednesday, the US Coast Guard announced that “presumed” human remains had been recovered from the wreckage of the Titan submersible, further intensifying the investigation into the incident. As of now, OceanGate representatives have not responded to requests for comment outside of normal working hours.
Authorities in the United States and Canada are actively investigating the causes behind the implosion of the submersible.
Concerns regarding the safety of the craft have been raised, especially in light of its previous disappearance, and several former passengers have come forward with their own issues. Actor Alan Estrada, for instance, reported a communication failure during his trip to the Titanic in the Titan submersible.
In fact, a lawsuit from 2018 has revealed that OceanGate had been warned about safety issues with its submersible years before the catastrophic implosion. A former employee of the company expressed concerns about poor “quality control and safety” protocols, which paying passengers might not be aware of, according to the lawsuit.
These revelations raise questions about the company’s adherence to safety standards and its response to previous warnings.
