The circumstances surrounding the implosion of the Titan deep-sea vessel continue to raise eyebrows. Long known to have been controlled with a video game controller, a witness statement now reveals further, striking details.
Particularly striking are the statements of Antonella Wilby, a former employee of the submarine company Oceangate. She now explained during a hearing intended to shed light on the details of the accident that the Titan used ‘idiotic’ navigation methods.
In concrete terms, the submarine was steered through the shallow water towards the Titanic using a “hand-painted map” and an “Excel list”.
Transfer from notebook to excel list
There was also a tracking system on board, but unlike other similar vehicles, the signals were not fed into software that displayed the boat’s position. Instead, the so-called pings were sent to a support boat, where the data was manually transferred to a notebook and then to an Excel sheet.
Only in a next step were the coordinates transferred to special mapping software to determine the Titan’s exact position – not on a conventional map, but on a hand-painted map of the area surrounding the Titanic wreck.
Employee transferred due to safety concerns
This approach not only sounds amateurish, but is also dangerous: there have always been problems with the error-prone process in the past. Wilby stressed that she had repeatedly raised her concerns about the security. However, Oceangate explained that it was working on its own system anyway. Eventually, the ex-employee was removed from navigation and transferred to other areas.
Chief Engineer: “I’m not going to comment on that.”
Wilby is not alone in her criticism. Last Monday, former Titan chief engineer Tony Nissen also spoke out. He also refused to test drive the vehicle for a long time due to safety concerns. Despite pressure from the company, he reportedly told Oceangate co-founder Stockton Rush: “I’m not going to do that.” Another problem with development was often the high cost of the vehicle and the tight schedule of the company boss.
“No one dies under my watch”
As the BBC now reports, there were said to have been repeated conflicts with employees, which Rush allegedly tried to shield. For example, there was a dispute with the former director of shipping operations, David Lochridge. He also raised concerns about safety, but everyone simply dismissed them.
Rush reportedly told him, “I don’t want to die… I think that’s one of the safest things I’ll ever do… I’m not dying. Nobody dies on my watch – period.”
Company boss also among fatalities
The submarine Titan, intended to visit the wreck of the Titanic, lost contact with the surface during a dive in the North Atlantic. Despite extensive searches, the boat could not be found in time.
All five people on board, including the founder of the Rush company, died in this tragic accident. The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
