Engineering and safety experts to be questioned by Coast Guard panel for Titan disaster hearing

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A former crew member on a Titan dive recalled how unnerving the experience was during the Coast Guard’s public hearing into why the Titan imploded on its way to view the shipwrecked Titanic.

Karl Stanley, who runs his own expedition business where he takes passengers on dives, said that OceanGate, the company that ran the Titan, nearly killed him because they took him on a test dive in the Bahamas.

Former OceanGate administration chief Amber Bay said the company took safety concerns seriously and disputed previous claims of tolerance for willful violations.

On Wednesday, the investigative panel will hear three witnesses, including a safety and engineering expert. First up is Don Kramer, the acting chief of the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Lab, followed by William Kohnen with Hydrospace Group Inc.

Closing the day will be Bart Kemper with Kemper Engineering.

LIVE UPDATES:

10:10 a.m.

Dr. Kramer explains rubbing damage found on Titan debris

10:09 a.m.

The cut off ends of the hull and the trimmed ends of the hull from version 1 and version 2 of the Titan were maintained at the OceanGate Everett facility.

9:56 a.m.

All the findings so far from Dr. Kramer’s Materials lab are based off of after the Titan wreckage was discovered. Dr. Kramer said he does not know whether the issues in his finding are from before or after the implosion.

9:46 a.m.

Version 1 Titan hull and Version 2 Titan hull compared to one another:

9:29 a.m.

Summary of Dr. Kramer’s NTSB Materials lab investigation into the Titan submersible

9:25 a.m.

Dr. Kramer goes over Titan wreckage:

9:20 a.m.

What happened on Titan’s dive 80 when the loud bang occurred, according to Dr. Kramer’s NTSB materials investigation Part 2:

9:11 a.m.

What happened on Titan’s dive 80 when the loud bang occurred, according to Dr. Kramer’s NTSB materials investigation Part 1:

9:09 a.m.

RTM-Strain monitoring system:

9:08 a.m.

How the Titan’s Real-time Monitoring Acoustic Emission System worked and issues:

8:53 a.m. – 9:11 a.m.

Dr. Kramer explains presentation on what went wrong with Titan and the Materials Investigation of the Experimental Titan Submersible Part 1:

8:49 a.m.

Dr. Kramer explains his educational and professional background including current professional duties:

8:48 a.m.

Dr. Don Kramer called to the witness stand.

8:45 a.m.

Hearing begins.

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