American authorities are considering filing criminal manslaughter charges over the doomed Titan sub
US authorities are considering filing criminal manslaughter charges over the doomed Titan submarine
- Titan exploded in June during a dive to the wreck of the Titanic in the North Atlantic
- Investigation after all five passengers on board the vessel died during the tragedy
- Source said authorities are looking into charges of negligent homicide or manslaughter
US authorities are considering criminal homicide charges over the doomed Titan sub, The Mail on Sunday has learned.
Titan exploded in June during a dive to the wreck of the Titanic in the North Atlantic, killing everyone on board: British billionaire Hamish Harding, 58; Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood (48) and his 19-year-old son Suleman; French Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77; and pilot Stockton Rush, 61, CEO of Titan’s parent company, OceanGate Expeditions.
Last night, a person close to the investigation into the tragedy said: ‘Interviews with those involved, both people who were directly involved with Titan and those who warned against it, are taking place.
“There are serious discussions about criminal charges being brought against those responsible, including possible charges of negligent homicide or manslaughter.”
The investigation is said to focus on those aboard the Polar Prince, Titan’s support vessel, and current and former OceanGate staff, as well as ‘dozens’ in the underwater exploration world who have repeatedly warned Titan is ‘unsafe’.
US authorities are considering criminal homicide charges over the doomed Titan sub, which exploded in June, The Mail on Sunday has learned
Chart showing the parts of the Titan submarine found after ‘catastrophic implosion’
The source said: ‘There is a wealth of evidence, including written and legal, which shows that Stockton Rush was repeatedly warned that Titan was an accident waiting to happen.’
A lawyer familiar with the matter said last night: ‘The civilian passengers signed a waiver, but this could certainly be challenged in court if evidence were to emerge that security checks were knowingly bypassed and warnings recklessly ignored. ‘
University student Suleman (left), 19, and his father Shahzada Dawood (right) were two of the five victims who died instantly when the OceanGate submarine suffered a ‘catastrophic implosion’.
British explorer Hamish Harding was among those killed in the ‘catastrophic explosion’
French Navy veteran PH Nargeolet (left) was in the submarine with Stockton Rush (right), CEO of the OceanGate expedition