'Haunting' first footage of imploded Titan sub wreckage released by US Coast Guard
Topics: News, Technology, US News, World News, Titan submersible
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation
Topics: News, Technology, US News, World News, Titan submersible
Harrowing footage showing the wreckage of OceanGate's Titan submersible has been released by the US Coast Guard.
Monday (September 16) marked the beginning of a hearing that's looking into what caused the implosion of the sub last year that claimed the lives of five people and if anyone is to blame.
The hearing being presented by the US Coast Guard is expected to last two weeks.
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So far chilling images of the wreckage have been released, as well as the last text exchange between the team on the sub and those on land.
The crew aboard the Titan were communicating with support staff aboard the Polar Prince by text messages, according to the presentation.
Some of the last words from the vessel's crew were 'all good'.
Now a video has been released showing the wreckage - which has been described as 'haunting' by some.
The US Coast Guard clip, dating back to June 22, 2023, pans around to show the submersible's tail cone standing on the seabed, visibly damaged from the implosion.
The footage was taken at 3,775 meters below the water's surface.
Moving round the object, you see OceanGate's logo on the side of it.
The video is now being widely distributed on time and people have commented on how eerie it is.
"This is so freaking haunting," someone penned on YouTube.
A second added: "Eerie the OceanGate logo is still legible."
"Looking at those cracks, it must have been a violent implode," suggested someone else.
Others expressed their surprise at how much of the vessel was still intact.
The US Coast Guard have listed 24 witnesses to give evidence in the trial, ten of whom are believed to be former OceanGate employees.
One of these ex employees is David Lochridge, who reportedly raised concerns about the safety of the Titan sub while he worked at the company.
Lochridge, who was the director of operations, was ultimately fired by the firm in 2018 and went on to be sued by OceanGate in a lawsuit that has since been settled, Washington Post reports.
Speaking at the hearing yesterday (September 17), Lochridge claims he was 'dismissed on every single occasion' when raising his concerns.
He added that OceanGate 'knew my dissatisfaction' and would not let him attend board meetings because they were worried he would speak out.
"I was very vocal about that and I still am," Lochridge continued.
On 18 June, 2023, OceanGate Expedition's 21-foot submersible, named Titan, submerged at 8am E.T and began its tour to the wreckage of the Titanic off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
Five people were onboard the vessel with a 96-hour oxygen supply.
Onboard the vessel was OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, 61, British billionaire Hamish Harding, 58, Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, British-Pakistani billionaire Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son Suleman.
The Polar Prince loses contact with the Titan around one hour and 45 minutes into its descent.
A few hours after the submersible was supposed to resurface, the US Coast Guard received a report of an overdue submersible.
The US Coast Guard launch a large-scale operation on 19 June, 2023, when the vessel fails to resurface or make contact almost 24 hours on.
Two days on from the Titan's disappearance on 21 June, 2023, sonar crews taking part in the search pick up 'banging noises', giving false hope that the passengers are still alive.
At 1pm E.T on 22 June, 2023, the submersible's 96-hour oxygen supply is predicted to have ran out, cementing fears for the crew onboard.
The US Coast Guard confirms the Titan was destroyed by a ‘catastrophic implosion’ - a result of both enormous water pressure and failed materials - with the loss of all five people aboard.