The lead engineer on Titan, the experimental submersible that imploded last summer with five people on board, testified that he refused to drive or ride on it , claiming there was 'pressure' to get the vessel ready quick despite his objections.
Titan met a tragic fate on its way to the Titanic's remains , imploding 3,500m below sea level. Its engineer, Tony Nissen, spoke out in court on Monday, recalling a disturbing memory where he tried to warn billionaire Oceangate founder Stockton Rush .
"I'm not getting in it," Nissen recalled telling Rush. As the first picture of the Titan submersible lying on the ocean floor has been released, Nissan also recounted that his former boss was sometimes 'a challenging figure,' preoccupied with budget constraints and timelines, among other concerns.
"Most people would eventually just back down to Stockton," Nissen testified during the proceedings in North Charleston, South Carolina. Nissen described how Rush would tenaciously pursue his varying demands, leading to conflicts that Nissen preferred to manage privately to prevent company-wide disruption.
Nissen was the inaugural witness at a U.S. Coast Guard hearing anticipated to span two weeks. The catastrophic implosion of the Titan on June 18, 2023, resulted in the deaths of all five passengers and sparked a global controversy over the safety and future of privately funded deep-sea ventures.
Addressing whether there was pressure to launch the Titan, he confirmed, "100 percent." According to Nissen, the Titan submersible underwent additional tests and tweaks before its later expeditions to the Titanic. However, he expressed his refusal to pilot the Titan due to mistrust in the operations team.
He further disclosed that the Titan had been struck by lightning on a test run in 2018, potentially weakening its structure. Nissen also mentioned his 2019 dismissal, which coincided with his refusal to send the malfunctioning Titan on its intended mission to the Titanic.
When questioned whether the pressure from Stockton affected safety decisions and testing, Nissen took a moment before answering, "No. And that's a difficult question to answer, because given infinite time and infinite budget, you could do infinite testing."
Coast Guard officials noted in their preliminary statements that the submersible was left out in the open for seven months across 2022 and 2023, subjecting it to weather conditions. Its hull wasn't inspected by third parties, which is usually standard practice. The lack of independent inspection and the Titan's unique design drew critical attention from those in the field of undersea exploration.
Communication was lost following a series of texts regarding the submersible's depth and weight during its descent. Subsequently, the Polar Prince sent multiple inquiries to confirm if the Titan was still able to visualize the ship on its internal display.
The ongoing Marine Board of Investigation, the highest level of marine casualty investigation conducted by the Coast Guard, is currently underway. Upon conclusion, recommendations will be submitted to the Coast Guard's commandant.
Local News
