The Dark Truth About OceanGate (Documentary)
Summary
TLDRThe transcript details the ambitious yet tragic journey of Stockton Rush and his Ocean Gate project, aiming to explore the deep ocean with the innovative carbon fiber submersible, Cyclops 2. Despite warnings and red flags, the mission to the Titanic resulted in a catastrophic failure, leading to the loss of the submersible and its occupants. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the balance between innovation, safety, and ethical considerations in the pursuit of exploration and discovery.
Takeaways
- 🌊 The dawn of a new era in ocean exploration is upon us, with increased appreciation for the ocean's significance to humanity's future.
- 🛳️ The exploration of the ocean remains largely uncharted, with only 5% of global oceans explored, despite advancements in space exploration.
- 🚀 Stockton Rush, born in 1962, pivoted from aspiring astronaut to becoming a pioneer in the underwater industry after a vision impairment disqualified him.
- 🥂 Rush's initial goal was to reach the deepest points in the ocean and innovate in deep-sea mining, leading to the founding of Ocean Gate in 2009.
- 💰 The acquisition of a suitable submersible was challenging, with only around 100 privately owned underwater crafts worldwide.
- 🚀 Ocean Gate's first submersible, Cyclops, was limited in its diving capabilities, only reaching 1,640 ft, far from the depths of the ocean floor.
- 🔨 A significant innovation was the development of Cyclops 2, the world's first carbon fiber submersible, despite controversy over the use of carbon fiber for deep-sea pressure vessels.
- 🚨 The submersible's maiden dive to the Titanic in 2023 ended in tragedy, with the craft losing contact and later confirmed to have catastrophically failed.
- 🔊 Search and rescue efforts were extensive, involving the US and Canadian Coast Guards, military and commercial assets, and international collaboration.
- 🚫 The tragedy highlighted critical issues in Ocean Gate's practices, including inadequate testing, maintenance, and a lack of proper safety certifications.
- 🌟 The story serves as a cautionary tale about the balance between innovation and safety, emphasizing the importance of not risking lives for monetary gain.
Q & A
What is the current state of ocean exploration and how does it compare to our achievements in space?
-The current state of ocean exploration is still in its early stages, with only 5% of the global oceans having been seen by humanity. This is in stark contrast to our achievements in space, such as walking on the moon, establishing orbital stations, and even mapping distant planets. Despite advancements in technology, the deep sea remains largely unexplored and mysterious compared to outer space.
Who is Stockton Rush and what was his early life ambition related to space exploration?
-Stockton Rush is a central figure in the underwater industry, known for his controversial and innovative approaches. Born on March 31st, 1962, he initially dreamed of exploring the stars, with aspirations to be the first human to set foot on Mars and gaze upon the cosmos. However, due to his visual acuity, he was disqualified from becoming a military aviator and, subsequently, an astronaut.
What was the significant turning point for Stockton Rush in his career?
-The significant turning point for Stockton Rush was in 1980, when at the age of 18, he was told that his visual acuity would disqualify him from becoming a military aviator and an astronaut. Instead of giving up, he shifted his focus from space exploration to exploring the deep seas.
What challenges did Stockton Rush face when trying to purchase a submarine?
-Stockton Rush faced the challenge of a limited market for privately-owned underwater crafts. At the time, there were only around 100 privately owned submarines worldwide, and only a handful of them were being sold. This scarcity made it difficult for him to acquire a submarine for his deep-sea exploration ambitions.
The Cyclops submersible, designed by Ocean Gate, was unique in that it was a steel hold fan submersible modified to include a wireless controller. It was capable of diving down to 1,640 ft deep and had the ability to accommodate five people at once, including a camera for capturing images of scientists working at depth and conducting interviews, which was a distinctive feature not commonly found in other submersibles.
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Why was the decision to use carbon fiber composites for the construction of the submersible controversial?
-The decision to use carbon fiber composites for the construction of the submersible was controversial because carbon fiber, while successful for internal pressure vessels like SCUBA tanks, is not typically used for external pressure applications due to its potential for degradation and failure under repeated pressure cycles. The material's advantages for pressure resistance are diminished when exposed to external pressures, and the disadvantages become more pronounced, leading to concerns about the safety and integrity of the submersible.
What were some of the safety concerns raised about the Cyclops 2 submersible?
-Safety concerns raised about the Cyclops 2 submersible included the use of carbon fiber for the pressure boundary, which is not commonly used in deep ocean submersibles. There were also issues with the submersible's construction, such as glue coming away from the scenes of the ballast bags, mounting bolts threatening to rupture, and the pressure boundary being porous and filled with holes. These concerns led to fears about the submersible's ability to withstand the extreme pressures of deep-sea diving.
What happened to the Titan submersible during its dive to the Titanic?
-During its dive to the Titanic, the Titan submersible lost contact with its mother ship and did not resurface as scheduled. Search crews later discovered debris consistent with the catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber, indicating that the submersible had likely imploded due to structural failure under the extreme pressure of the deep sea.
What were the reported conditions inside the submersible based on the operator Ocean Gate's statements?
-According to Ocean Gate, the submersible was equipped with three oxygen systems, including scuba tanks under the floor panels, designed to provide oxygen for its five occupants for around 96 hours. However, the submersible also faced a heat issue due to the freezing temperatures at the depth of 13,000 ft below the surface, and the crew may not have lasted long enough because of the lack of heat, water, and food.
What was the outcome of the search and rescue mission for the missing Titan submersible?
-The search and rescue mission for the missing Titan submersible eventually led to the discovery of its debris approximately 1600 ft from the bow of the Titanic. The discovery confirmed the catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber, and the families of the occupants were notified. Despite extensive efforts, no survivors were found, and the mission concluded with the tragic loss of all occupants.
What were some of the criticisms and concerns raised about Ocean Gate's operations and the Titan submersible?
-Critics and concerned parties raised issues about Ocean Gate's lack of proper fatigue testing, the company's failure to get the craft classified with classification companies like DNV, and allegations of predatory behavior in convincing passengers to board the submersible. Additionally, a Glassdoor review from February 2023 described the company as highly dangerous, not paying employees, and not making any money, indicating potential financial and safety pressures within the organization.
What lessons can be learned from the Titan submersible disaster for future ocean exploration endeavors?
-The Titan submersible disaster highlights the importance of rigorous testing, proper maintenance, and adherence to safety standards in ocean exploration. It serves as a reminder that innovation should not come at the expense of human safety, and that companies should prioritize thorough inspections and certifications before undertaking high-risk exploration missions. The incident also underscores the need for transparency and honesty in representing the risks involved in such expeditions.
Outlines
🌊 Dawn of Ocean Exploration and the Mysterious Disappearance
This paragraph introduces the new era of ocean exploration, emphasizing the significance of the ocean to the future of mankind. It tells the story of a man's journey from aspiring astronaut to becoming a key figure in the underwater industry. The narrative then shifts to a dramatic event where a submersible vessel, which was taking people to see the wreck of the Titanic, goes missing in the Atlantic Ocean. The urgency of the search operation is highlighted, with the crew racing against time to find the missing vessel and the dwindling oxygen supply on board.
🚀 Innovation and Controversy in Deep-Sea Exploration
The paragraph delves into the challenges and controversies surrounding the development of a carbon fiber submersible. It discusses the innovative vision of Stockton Rush, the founder of Ocean Gate, who aimed to explore the deep seas and uncover the mysteries of the ocean floor. The use of carbon fiber in the construction of the submersible is presented as a controversial decision due to its unsuitability for withstanding external pressure. The paragraph also reveals discrepancies in Ocean Gate's claims of collaboration with renowned organizations like NASA, Boeing, and the University of Washington, casting doubt on the credibility and safety of the submersible.
🛑 Warnings Ignored: The Titanic Submersible's Fateful Voyage
This paragraph focuses on the events leading up to the ill-fated dive of the Titan submersible to the wreck of the Titanic. It highlights the concerns raised by a former director of marine operations about the sub's safety and readiness, which were ignored, leading to his dismissal. The paragraph paints a picture of a company disregarding warnings and pushing the boundaries of safety in pursuit of their goals. The narrative builds tension as the Titan sets off for its dive with a crew of four, including the company's founder, and subsequently loses contact with the surface, leaving the search and rescue operation in a race against time.
🌪️ The Tragic Outcome: Submersible Lost and Lives Lost
The paragraph describes the grim aftermath of the Titan's disappearance. It details the extensive search and rescue efforts by the US and Canadian Coast Guard, military and commercial assets, and even a French research ship. The discovery of the submersible's debris field near the Titanic and the confirmation of the catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber are discussed. The paragraph also explores the technical reasons behind the submersible's failure, such as delamination of the carbon fiber composite material, and the lack of proper maintenance and testing. The tragic loss of life is underscored, with a focus on the rapid and painless nature of the crew's deaths due to the extreme pressure and cold at such depths.
💸 The Drive for Profit and the Cost of Human Lives
This paragraph examines the ethical and moral implications of the disaster. It raises questions about the motivations of Ocean Gate and its founder, suggesting that financial gain and investor pressure may have overridden safety concerns. The paragraph also discusses the company's questionable business practices and the potential predatory behavior in securing passengers for the ill-fated dive. The tragic irony of a father and son taking the seats that could have been occupied by another family is highlighted, emphasizing the human cost of the company's actions. The paragraph concludes with a call for companies to prioritize safety and human lives over monetary gain, using the disaster as a cautionary tale for future endeavors in innovation and exploration.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Ocean Exploration
💡Submersible Vessel
💡Titanic
💡Innovation
💡Carbon Fiber
💡Deep Sea Mining
💡Safety Concerns
💡Pressure Vessel
💡Non-Destructive Testing
💡Fatigue Testing
💡Risk Management
Highlights
We are at the dawn of a new era of ocean exploration, with people increasingly appreciating the importance of the ocean to the future of mankind.
The ocean holds captivating underwater landscapes, unseen shipwrecks, and a treasure trove of undiscovered plants and creatures, with only 5% of the global oceans explored by humans.
Stockton Rush, born in 1962, would grow up to become a controversial and innovative figure in the underwater industry, despite initial dreams of space exploration.
Ocean Gate, founded by Rush and GuoSonlin, aimed to innovate in deep-sea mining and uncover ocean floor mysteries, starting with purchasing a submarine in 2009.
The Cyclops, Ocean Gate's first modified submersible, was revealed in 2015, featuring a wireless controller and the ability to carry five people at once.
Rush's ambition to dive deeper led to plans for a more powerful submersible, facing challenges due to the use of carbon fiber in the construction of the submersible.
The world's first carbon fiber submersible, Cyclops 2, was revealed in 2018, with claims of collaboration with NASA, Boeing, and the University of Washington, which were later disputed.
David Lockridge, an ex-director of marine operations at Ocean Gate, claimed the submersible was unfit for use due to multiple safety issues and failed tests.
The Titan, carrying Rush and others, lost contact during a dive to the Titanic in June 2023, sparking a large-scale search and rescue operation.
Search crews detected banging sounds near the Titanic wreckage, indicating potential survivors and raising hopes for a rescue.
The tragic end to the Titan's mission was confirmed when its debris was found near the Titanic, with the carbon fiber hull having likely experienced delamination under pressure.
The disaster highlighted the importance of extensive fatigue testing and non-destructive inspection using ultrasound for underwater vehicles to prevent such tragedies.
Ocean Gate faced criticism for not classifying the craft with a classification company and for potential pressure from investors leading to unsafe practices.
The story serves as a cautionary tale about the balance between innovation and safety, and the risks of prioritizing monetary gain over human lives.
The loss of the Titan and its occupants emphasizes the need for rigorous testing and maintenance in ocean exploration to ensure the safety of all involved.
The tragic incident involving the Titan submersible has sparked discussions on the ethics of experimental deep-sea exploration and the responsibilities of companies in such ventures.
The narrative of the Titan's final dive underscores the harsh and unforgiving nature of the deep sea, where even the slightest error or oversight can lead to catastrophic consequences.
The dream of exploring the depths of the ocean, while noble and inspiring, must be pursued with the utmost care and adherence to safety standards to prevent future tragedies.
Transcripts
is this a new era of ocean exploration
where are we in in opening that Frontier
I think we are at the dawn because
people are appreciate it they understand
the importance of the ocean the future
of mankind I like to say is underwater
every time I dive I see something I've
never seen before that no human has
probably ever seen before for the last
110 years the Titanic has sat at the
bottom of the Atlantic Ocean her Secrets
waiting for a time when man could safely
navigate the depths of 13,000 ft 12
years been working to do this you were
so excited about being able to make this
happen and now that you've done it how
do you feel the same anticipation of
what comes next strange Story coming in
uh and fears are growing by the minute a
submersible vessel which takes people to
see the wreck of the Titanic has gone
missing in the Atlantic Ocean and may
only have about 96 hours of oxygen on
board for survival search Crews racing
against time to find that missing
submersible there is no excuse for what
what happened here should tighten it
been in the
water the ocean is a mysterious and
unexplored place it holds captivating
underwater Landscapes that seem from
outer space shipwrecks that haven't been
seen for centuries and a treasure Trove
of undiscovered plants and creatures in
fact the deep sea is so unexplored that
only 5% of the global oceans have been
seen by Humanity despite our
achievements in space exploration
walking on the moon establishing orbital
stations and even mapping distant
planets the mysteries of our own planets
deep Waters elude us however driven by
an unwavering determination to explore
the unknown one man would defy the
depths and plunge into the abyss but all
of this starts here in the bustling city
of San Francisco on March 31st 1962 when
Stockton Rush was born little did his
family know that this child's Journey
would lead him to become one of the most
controversial and Innovative individuals
the underwater industry had ever seen
raised in a family of means with roots
tracing back to the signers of the
Declaration of Independence Rush had the
world at his fingertips from an early
age he dreamed of exploring the star to
be the first human to set foot on Mars
and gaze upon the wonders of the cosmos
but fate had a different path in store
for him in 1980 at the age of only 18 he
was told that his visual Acuity would
disqualify him from becoming a military
Aviator and ever being an
astronaut but Rush didn't give up and
decided to make a complete 180 instead
of traveling to space he shifted his
Focus to EXP exploring the deep seas
around 2005 he began his search to buy
submarine however this turned out to be
an almost impossible task there were
only around 100 privately owned
underwater crafts in the entire world
and only a handful of them were being
sold but then in 2009 everything would
change the goal was where do you want to
go in the in the ocean what is the most
known site in the ocean and it's clearly
the Titanic during that year rush and
guos sonlin would go on to found Ocean
Gate and they even managed to line up a
deal to buy their first submersible from
Pete Hoffman the deal went through and
Russia's company bought the underwater
craft called antipodes for
$295,000 but the antipodes could only
dive 1,000 ft deep and this was far from
what rush wanted to do his dream was to
go to the deepest points to innovate in
the deep sea mining industry and help
uncover the mysteries of the ocean floor
there are only a handful of sub things
about five Subs most are owned by
governments run by research institutions
uh there is no private access to the
deep ocean and yet there's all this life
to be discovered since buying such a
powerful underwater craft was pretty
much impossible he had to shift from
purchasing the submersibles to improving
existing crafts or straight up building
his own initially we didn't think we
were going to build our own Subs we
thought we were going to get somebody
else to build our subs the industry
standard just wouldn't allow for them to
build what we felt we needed uh and what
we thought Humanity needed to explore
the ocean in
2013 Ocean Gate would change forever the
company finally pivoted from buying
submersibles to designing their own and
in March of
2015 they revealed their first modified
submersible the cyclon was a steel hold
fan submersible that had been modified
to include a wireless controller but it
was only able to dive down to
1,640 Ft and because of the length you
can have a camera in there taking an
image of both scientists working as well
as doing interviews at depth which is
very unique when you don't get that on
other submersibles that don't have the
ability to take five people at once at
death and even though it was a step in
the right direction it was still a far
cry from the depths that Rush aimed for
this meant that quickly after the
Cyclops was revealed plans for a more
powerful submersible were
drafted carbon fiber is three times
better on a strength to buoyancy basis
than titanium and yet no one had done
that and there are uh certifying or
semi- certifying agencies the uh
pressure vessels for human occupation
committee that uh handles hyperbaric
chambers and submarines you have the
subsafe program in the uh in the Navy
these programs are uh over the top in
their rules and regulations but they had
nothing with carbon fiber so we had to
go out and uh and work on that and one
of the things I learned is you know when
you're outside the box it's really hard
to tell how far outside the box you
really are Rush wanted to use carbon
fiber composits to build the underwater
craft as this would allow for a less
expensive and more customizable design
however carbon fiber is a highly
controversial material when it comes to
underwater crafts carbon fiber composits
are used very very successfully
for internal pressure pressure vessels
like let's say a SCUBA tank and you can
get two or three times multiple of what
you could get out of steel or aluminum
for uh for that type of pressure bottle
but for something that's seeing external
pressure all of the advantages of
composite materials go away and all the
disadvantages come into play so if
you're using a uniform material like
steel or uh Titanium or ceramic or
acrylic um you can do computer model
modeling with a high degree of of
accuracy and confidence the second you
start doing carbon composite or or any
kind of composite materials you're
introducing two materials that are in in
contact with each other the filament
itself and then the epoxy Matrix that it
that it sits within and at that point
you have degradation failure so we
always understood that this was the
wrong material for submersible Halls
because with each pressure cycle you can
have Progressive damage in the case of
Ocean Gate they wanted to make an entire
Hall out of carbon fiber with only the
left and right extremes being made from
titanium a decision that had the entire
underwater industry worried even rob
mallum a consultant who worked with rush
and was able to review the development
claimed that there were not one but
multiple points of failure in the
development of the submersible however
when Rush was questioned about his
decisions he said I'd like to be
remembered as an innovator um I think it
was General MacArthur said you're
remembered for the rules you break and
you know I've broken some rules to make
this I think that broken them with with
logic and good engineering behind me the
carbon fiber and titanium there's a rule
you don't do that well I
did in
2018 Ocean Gate revealed the world's
first carbon fiber submersible and named
it Cyclops 2 the vehicle was the first
of its kind equipped with a carbon fiber
composite Hall systems for easy and
intuitive control via a PlayStation like
controller and a new acoustic system to
detect any cracking of the new Hall in
addition to this they claimed that the
craft had been created and tested with
the help of NASA Boeing and the
University of
Washington everything seemed perfect but
was this really the
truth absolutely not a NASA spoke spers
said that
NASA did not conduct testing and
Manufacturing via its Workforce or
facilities unquote a Boeing spokesperson
also said that Boeing quote was not a
partner on the Titan and did not design
or build it lastly the University of
Washington stated that the Applied
Physics laboratory had no involvement in
quote design engineering or testing of
the Titan submersible however this isn't
completely true and there are several
documents linking them to Ocean Gates
Titan in one of their cooperation PDFs
they explicitly talk about Titan's
carbon fiber Hull and state quote the
first test of a scale model of the
Cyclops filament wound carbon fiber Hull
designed and manufactured by Spencer
composits in collaboration with
Oceangate and APL U furthermore Ocean
Gate hired several interns from from the
University to help with the development
of their acoustic Safety Systems so the
University of Washington might be lying
about their involvement to avoid
possible lawsuits or to save their
reputation as a whole the situation
eventually boiled over when David
Lockridge an ex-director of marine
operations at Ocean Gate wrote a report
claiming that the submersible was unfit
to be used because it needed more
testing lockage inspected every as every
major component of the sub and found
that glue was coming away from the
scenes of the ballast bags you had
mounting bolts threatening to rupture
things ceiling faces that had errant
plunge holes o-ring grooves that
deviated from standard parameters
everything that could go wrong was sort
of going wrong there were snagging
hazards there were important components
attached with zip ties flammable
flooring um and intern interior vinyl
wrapping would emit highly toxic gases
upon ignition but the number one concern
for lockage was that the actual core of
this submarine the pressure boundary
which is what keeps people alive at
3,800 M where Titanic is where the
external water pressure is about 6,000
lb per square inch is made of carbon
fiber which is not used at in deep ocean
submers so he examined that a section of
it and found that it was filled with um
with you know little little holes he he
held a it was delaminating these layers
it was porous he held a light behind it
and found that the light was streaming
through and he refused to sign off on
the dive and Stockton Rush said that
because you refuse to sign off on this
man testing you cannot do your job as
director ofun operations and so he fired
him on the spot after word of these
events spread Robert mallum the
consultant who previously worked with
Rush privately reached out to him saying
that he was putting the entire industry
at risk but Rush's answer was none other
than quote since guamo and I have
started Ocean Gate we have have heard
the baseless cries of quote you're going
to kill someone unquote way too often I
take this as a serious personal insult
unquote but all of these narcissistic
business decisions malpractices and lies
would eventually catch up to the company
in a disastrous fashion June 18th
2023 early in the morning rush and his
team got ready to do another dive to the
Titanic on board the Titan was Rush
himself British businessman and
adventurer HH Harding Titanic expert
Paul HRI naral and Pakistani businessman
shazada dawood and his 19-year-old son
Suliman all of whom had signed a waiver
that claimed the submersible was an
experimental craft including eight death
Clauses and even stated that most of the
Dives don't even reach the Titanic at
around 8:00 a.m. the Titan set off from
its mother ship the polar Prince heading
for the remains of the Titanic at some
12,500 ft below the surface of the ocean
at 9:47 a.m. the 21t submersible lost
contact with its mother ship and since
the submersible had no GPS the craft was
only Guided by text messages from the
surface ship which indicated where and
when the submersible should resurface
the scheduled resurface time was 3:00
p.m.
the polar Prince crew was nervously
awaiting the ascent of the Titan however
as the minutes went by nothing happened
no messages were received and the craft
was nowhere to be seen something bad had
happened but nobody was sure about what
exactly was going on in the depths of
the sea concerns now about oxygen
supplies according to the operator Ocean
Gate it's equipped with three oxygen
systems including some scuba tanks under
the floor panels and it's built to
provide oxygen for its five occupants
for around 96 hours and that would in
theory last until Thursday morning the
situation was becoming more and more
intense by the minute with the US and
Canadian Coast Guard Crews scouring the
ocean's surface with helicopters and
planes using Sonar to listen for sounds
far below the water and asking nearby
commercial ships to assist in the search
the location of the search is
approximately 9900 Mi uh east of Cape
Cod uh in a water depth of uh roughly
13,000 ft it is a a challenge to conduct
a uh search in that remote area but we
are deploying all available assets June
20th search Crews attempting to locate a
submarine missing off the coast of New
Finland in Canada have reportedly heard
banging sounds near the wreck of the
Titanic the banging from inside the sub
were at 30 minute intervals and went on
for could be heard four hours later so
obviously someone in the sub presumably
has been banging every half hour if they
are alive and um and okay you know that
the fear and Desperation must be just
something unimaginable but um it's
certainly very hopeful news and and uh
we we continue to to hope for an amazing
outcome here a Canadian P3 aircraft
detected underwater noises however at
the same time another aircraft
discovered what seemed like a surfaced
craft but the authorities couldn't send
teams to both locations they eventually
opted to investigate the underwater
noises and relocated all of their
resources to the location of these
sounds and it seemed that a successful
rescue was still possible this is still
an active search and rescue mission that
hope has not been lost that every effort
is still being made to locate that
submersible and if possible to enact
some sort of rescue at this point the
submersible was running low on oxygen
and it seemed as if the crew was doomed
every possible tool was being used to
save the crew the US and Canada moved in
Military and Commercial assets and even
a research ship with an underwater robot
was dispatched by the French government
but nothing was going as planned and the
hours slowly went by
operating at these depths there's a very
thin margin of of chance when something
goes wrong to be saved uh you've got a
couple of issues had if this submersible
has gone to the bottom you just don't
have an oxygen issue you have a heat
issue because of the temperature below
the surface 13,000 ft down it's almost
freezing down there uh you would have an
issue where the crew may not last long
enough because of the lack of heat let
alone water and food retired Navy
Captain David marquay stated that if
they were alive quote they're freezing
cold they're probably all huddled
together trying to conserve their body
heat the time that the crew spent in the
Titan would have been a hellish anxiety
inducing period where minutes seemed
like hours and hours like days all of
this while looking into the dark
nothingness that is the Deep Sea World
the good news is that we haven't had bad
news you know they haven't found
wreckage they haven't found debris
um and there are now finally there are
drones there on site um at the bottom
looking for them so uh there's still
good news the banging noises that we've
heard was was very positive news uh but
it's really somber to think about what
it must be like down there in that
submarine for those men you did receive
a text message from your friend just
before he left on the dive what that
message say diving to the Titanic
shortly it was an exclamation point he
was very excited about it um uh it's
said weather permitting the weather's
been bad there as I'm sure those in New
Finland know um and uh that was it it
was pretty quick to the point he was
just about to get in the submarine to go
down so uh it was something he and the
whole crew were very excited to do uh
it's a realizing the dream of a lifetime
to see this historic uh place and so he
was just
excited an ROV or remote operated
vehicle from The Vessel Horizon
Arctic discovered the tail cone of the
Titan
submersible approximately 1600 ft from
the bow of the Titanic on the sea
Flor the ROV
subsequently found additional
debris in
consultation with experts from within
the unified command the debris is
consistent with the catastrophic loss of
the pressure
chamber upon this
determination we immediately notified
the
families on behalf of the United States
Coast Guard and the entire unified
command I offer my deepest condolences
to the families because the hole was
made from carbon fiber composits which
had been put under repeated amounts of
stress without the proper maintenance
the hull of the submersible most likely
experienced what is known as
delamination this is the process of
splitting or separating of the composite
material that holds the different
materials together once this occurs it
disrupts the bond that holds the fibers
together resulting in a wider region of
Separation within the material and
repeated instances of delamination
especially in deep underwater conditions
would undoubtedly compromise the
material structure Cal Integrity
furthermore if these unwanted changes
accumulate and aren't addressed they
will inevitably lead to a critical split
or crack in the material a scratch a
Nick or a gouge or a hole is going to
cause a stress concentration especially
if it's going to be used under hundreds
of feet of water with people inside of
it it's not what we consider rocket
science to inspect it it's
non-destructive inspection using
ultrasound which is the same kind of
ultrasound that they use in the medical
industry to see what's going on inside
your body Crest estimates an ultrasound
inspection of the Titan would have cost
about
$20,000 cost effective he says
especially if passengers are paying
hundreds of thousands of dollars for a
ride to the Bottom of the Sea
non-destructive inspection is not a
rarity in the world of composits it's
what we do all the time the pressure
that is exerted at the depths at which
the Titan was diving are around 380
times the pressure of the atmosphere
that we feel above sea level level at
these pressure levels even the slightest
separating of the composite material in
the hle can cause tiny changes to it
structure and once this occurs the
entire structure of the hole would be
compromised however these micro splits
can be prevented to a certain degree and
when it comes to underwater Vehicles
this is usually done with autoclaves
these are pressurized vessels that
Compact and Harden the materials used in
the hall via a process known as curing
this is an essential part of the
construction of any underwater vehicle
the next step to prevent these micro
splits is by extensive fatigue testing
where the submersible is subjected to
various types of load simulations this
is done to identify any potential weak
points design flaws or material
limitations that could lead to fatigue
failure over time I'm thrusting and
nothing's happening am I spinning yes I
am yes looks like it now you're going
north
oh my
God when I'm thrusting forward one of
the thrusters is thrusting backwards
right
now this the only thing I can do right
now is a 360 hey Jerome uh stockt in on
Wendy's phone just call it back if you
get a chance we got a question uh on the
dive right now looking to see if there's
a way to remap the uh PS3 controller
should Titan have been in the
water as an experimental vehicle we're
always trying to push the boundaries of
technology to make it more affordable
and more accessible for scientists but
in this case taking paying passengers to
the Titanic on the submersible that was
probably not fully tested was probably
unwise and here lies the big issue with
the company Ocean Gate didn't conduct
enough fatigue testing of the
submersible because it would have taken
too long in addition to this they made
the first Hull in
2017 and then rebuilt the vehicle in
2020 because because it was showing
signs of cycle fatigue this meant that
the dives from 2018 and 2019 were taking
such a toll on the submersible that even
Ocean Gate thought it wasn't safe
anymore so even though Ocean Gate knew
roughly how many Dives they could do
before the Titan got close to reaching
cycle fatigue the craft was still being
pushed to its limits in mid
223 and this is inexplicable Ocean Gate
had to know that the craft was about to
give out but for whatever reason they
were pushing it to its limits again
almost as if they wanted to squeeze
every penny out of the vehicle before
they rebuilt it in late
2023 the reason for the call today John
is something just came across my B John
it is perhaps the best thing I've seen
in the last 6 months if you have 60
seconds I'd like to share the idea with
you
Rush was known to try and convince
people to go on his craft with Patrick
Ley president of Triton submarines
claiming that he used predatory behavior
to try and convince people to go on his
craft financier Jay Bloom has a similar
story Stockton you I think his his heart
was in the right place and he he really
was passionate about his project and he
believed everything he was saying but uh
one of the things that concerned me was
he told me he was flying in to see me
and he was landing at North Las Vegas
Airport which is an odd selection most
people that come in privately come into
either McCarron which is now Harry Reed
International or they come into
Henderson executive and uh I asked him
why and he said he was coming in on a a
two-seater experimental plane that he
built and I started to think about he's
coming in on a two-seater experimental
plane to pitch me out to go on a
5-seater experimental sub that he built
down to the ocean floor to see the
Titanic and it was just it was it was
was uh he has a different risk appetite
than I do Bloom also stated that Rush
said that the submersible trip would be
quote safer than crossing the street
unquote but thankfully for the bloom
family they declined because they saw a
lot of red flags in Ocean Gate's videos
Jay gave up their seats on the Titan for
this trip another father and son did
take those seats they went on the Titan
and as we know uh sadly and tragically
lost their lives when you first learned
the Titan was missing uh and then those
days they were hoping for rescue you're
imagining like everybody else that but
for you it's different that it could
have been you down there right gasping
for air then you find out it imploded um
and you keep seeing images of the father
and son who did take your seats what
went through your
mind well um it it's it's a very uh
surreal experience in the beginning you
know you know you're supposed to be on
on that uh you had the opportunity to be
on that on that sub and um uh you see
you see all this it's everywhere
everywhere we looked and the most
haunting thing about it is when you look
at at the news and open my laptop on
social media on television it's it was
everywhere and they'd show pictures of
of the the people who lost their lives
and all I could see when I saw that
father and son was myself and my son
that could have been Us in that picture
and Sean I mean obviously uh the the
other young man there he was 19 you're
20 right I mean it it it it is Eerie the
the parallels Russia's Behavior
definitely opens the question of why he
was desperately trying to convince as
many passengers as he could and if he
was pressured by his investors to do as
many Dives as possible before rebuilding
the craft again in addition to this a
glass door review from February 2023 of
a few months before the disaster
occurred claims that the company is
highly dangerous tries to not pay their
employees and even states that the
company doesn't make any money at all so
something was definitely going on in
addition to all of these glaring issues
Ocean Gate never went to get the craft
classified with the dnv nor any other
classification company and this is
exactly why they received so much
criticism throughout the years in the
end Rush who was arguably a genius with
Big Dreams succumbed to Pure greed and
narcissism or perhaps pressure from
Ocean Gate investors as for the
occupants of The Craft since they died
in mere milliseconds their deaths were
absolutely painless but our condolences
lie with their families and we hope that
companies such as SpaceX and more see
this case as an important reminder that
even even though Innovation is necessary
we shouldn't put the lives of innocent
people at risk for monetary
gain sometimes Mother Nature works for
you and sometimes Mother Nature is
a stocked in Rush video narrated by Eric
Peabody
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