A new report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that faulty engineering and insufficient testing were the main causes of the 2023 Titanic submersible disaster, which killed five passengers, including Pakistani-British tycoon Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood.
The report, released on Wednesday, follows an earlier U.S. Coast Guard investigation that detailed severe shortcomings in OceanGate’s design and safety procedures. The NTSB described the tragic implosion of the Titan submersible as a “preventable tragedy” resulting from poor engineering oversight and the company’s disregard for critical safety standards.
According to the NTSB, OceanGate’s engineering process for constructing the Titan sub was fundamentally flawed. The vessel’s carbon fiber composite pressure hull contained multiple anomalies and did not meet essential strength and durability requirements. “Because OceanGate did not adequately test the Titan, the company was unaware of the pressure vessel’s actual strength and durability, which was likely much lower than their target,” the report stated.
The findings also revealed that the company’s real-time monitoring system failed to detect structural damage from previous dives. “OceanGate’s analysis of the Titan’s monitoring data was flawed, so the company was unaware that the sub was damaged and needed to be immediately removed from service,” the report added.
The doomed expedition, led by OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, included British explorer Hamish Harding, French deep-sea expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, who were prominent members of one of Pakistan’s leading business families. Seats on the submersible reportedly cost $250,000 per person.
Communication with the Titan was lost approximately one hour and 45 minutes after it began its descent to the Titanic wreck on June 18, 2023. The tragic event triggered an intense international search effort that captured global attention. Days later, debris was located near the Titanic’s bow, and human remains were later recovered when the wreckage was brought to the surface.
Following the incident, OceanGate suspended all operations, and multiple lawsuits have since been filed against the company, including a $50 million claim from the family of Paul-Henri Nargeolet, alleging gross negligence.
The Titanic wreck, located about 400 miles off Newfoundland, remains one of the most iconic maritime sites in history. Since its discovery in 1985, it has attracted deep-sea explorers and tourists, but the Titan disaster has reignited debate over the risks and ethics of commercial deep-sea expeditions.
