Submersible vehicle experts wrote a letter warning OceanGate’s CEO that their approach could end in “disaster” years before their ship disappeared.
The company’s vessel, the Titan, is currently missing with five people on board after it lost communication during a dive to the Titanic’s wreckage.
A frantic search and rescue operation is underway to locate and recover the submarine before its 96-hour oxygen supply runs out.
Submersible industry leaders sent a letter to OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush – who is currently missing along with the ship – urging him to exercise caution.
The letter, obtained by the New York Timeswarned that the company’s “current” experimental “approach” could result in problems “from minor to catastrophic.”
Submersible industry leaders sent a letter to OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush (pictured) – who is currently missing along with the ship – urging him to exercise caution
It was sent by the Manned Underwater Vehicles committee of the Marine Technology Society, a 60-year-old trade group that aims to promote ocean technology and educate the public about it.
But it’s unclear whether an employee or Rush himself responded to the letter, and there were no further details as to why the approach was considered dangerous.
Officials searching for the missing submarine have warned they may not be able to save the missing tourist submarine even if they find it.
Among those taking part in the expedition are billionaire Hamish Harding, CEO of Action Aviation in Dubai, and Shahzada Dawood, 48, a UK-based board member of the charity Prince’s Trust, and his son Sulaiman Dawood, 19.
Rush was also said to be aboard the ship, which disappeared Sunday, along with French Navy veteran PH Nargeolet.
The submarine’s oxygen supply is now just 40 hours, giving rescue crews until Thursday morning to find it before it runs out.
Rescue crews from the US and Canada are still trying to find the ship, which is believed to have last “pinged” while directly above the Titanic wreckage.
First District Captain Jamie Frederick said the Coast Guard has already searched 7,600 square miles of ocean — a search area the size of Connecticut.
The Boston Coast Guard is now searching for the missing ship. The wreck of the Titanic lies 12,500 feet underwater, about 370 miles from Newfoundland, Canada
One of the participants in the expedition is billionaire Hamish Harding (pictured), CEO of Action Aviation in Dubai. He excitedly posted on social media that he was there on Sunday
Shahzada Dawood, 48, (pictured with his wife Christine), a UK-based board member of the Prince’s Trust charity, and his son Sulaiman Dawood, 19, are among the five missing in the submarine that left to rescue the wreck of the Titanic, that was revealed today
At 12,500 feet underwater, few ships can dive deep enough to find it.
It comes after DailyMail.com revealed that OceanGate refused to put their submarine through an independent inspection process and fired a director in 2018 after asking for stricter safety testing.
Bosses fired David Lochridge, who was Director of Naval Operations for the Titan project, after he disagreed with his demand for stricter safety checks on the submarine, including “testing to prove its integrity.”
The company also opted not to have the vessel ‘classed’, an industry-wide practice whereby independent inspectors ensure vessels meet accepted technical standards.
OceanGate, which charges up to $250,000 for a seat on the submarine, suggested the search for classification could take years and would be “a horror of rapid innovation.”
In 2019, the company added that seeking classification for Titan would not “ensure operators adhere to proper operating procedures and decision-making processes – two areas much more important for mitigating risk at sea.”
Titan is currently missing with five people on board after it lost communication during a dive to the Titanic’s wreckage, which lies about 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) below the Atlantic Ocean
OceanGate bosses fired David Lochridge, who was director of marine operations for the Titan project, in 2018 after he disagreed with his demand for tighter security checks on the submarine, which is missing from a mission to the Titanic wreck.
Classification involves recruiting an independent organization to ensure that vessels such as ships and submarines meet industry-wide technical standards. It is a crucial way to ensure that a ship is operational.
The Marine Technology Society’s Manned Underwater Vehicles Committee said in a statement about the tragedy that the “modern commercial submarine industry” is “regulated in accordance with international safety standards through classification societies.”
They added: ‘These organizations have rules and safety standards for the design and construction of systems ranging from submersible vehicles to supertankers and oil rigs.
Major submarine classification societies include the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Det Nortke Veritas (DNV), and Lloyds Registry (LR).
“The submarine industry has a safety record of fifty years without incident. This is due to the technical discipline and professionalism of industry members, and the collective observation of (and adherence to) a variety of safety standards.”