A hearing is currently being held which is investigating the 2023 Titan sub tragedy
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Chilling footage of OceanGate's Titan submersible wreckage has been released by the US Coast Guard.
On Monday (September 16), a hearing began to determine the cause of the sub’s implosion last year, which tragically claimed the lives of five people.
The inquiry will also investigate if anyone can be held accountable for the disaster.
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The hearing, led by the US Coast Guard, is expected to last two weeks.
So far, haunting images of the wreckage have been shown, along with the last text messages exchanged between the crew aboard the sub and the team on land.
According to the presentation, the Titan crew communicated with the support staff on the Polar Prince via text messages.
OceanGate has been accused of gross negligence
David Ryder/Getty Images
One of the final messages from the crew simply read, “all good.”
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Now, a video of the wreckage has been shared, and it’s been described by many as "haunting."
The footage, dating back to June 22, 2023, shows the submersible's tail cone on the ocean floor, visibly damaged from the implosion.
This video was taken at a depth of 3,775 meters below the surface.
As the camera moves around, you can see OceanGate's logo still visible on the sub's remains.
The video has spread widely online, with people commenting on just how eerie the scene is.
One person wrote, "This is so freaking haunting."
Another added, "Eerie that the OceanGate logo is still legible."
Others speculated about the intensity of the implosion. “Looking at those cracks, it must have been a violent implode,” someone remarked.
Some were even surprised that parts of the vessel remained intact after such a catastrophic event.
The OceanGate logo was still visible on the sub
US Coast Guard/Pelagic Research Services
In the ongoing trial, the US Coast Guard has called 24 witnesses, including ten believed to be former OceanGate employees.
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One key witness is David Lochridge, who had raised safety concerns about the Titan sub during his time at the company.
Lochridge, who served as the Director of Operations, was fired by OceanGate in 2018 after voicing his worries.
He later became involved in a lawsuit with the company, which has since been settled. During the hearing, Lochridge claimed that his concerns were "dismissed on every single occasion."
He added that OceanGate was aware of his dissatisfaction and didn’t allow him to attend board meetings because they feared he would speak out.
"I was very vocal about that, and I still am," he said.
Timeline of the Titan Sub Disaster:
OceanGate's Titan submersible begins its descent:
On June 18, 2023, OceanGate's Titan submersible, a 21-foot vessel, began its dive to explore the wreck of the Titanic.
It submerged at 8 a.m. ET off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Five people were onboard, with an estimated 96-hour oxygen supply.
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Who Was Onboard the Titan?
The sub carried 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 Titan Loses Contact:
About 1 hour and 45 minutes into the descent, the Polar Prince lost contact with the Titan. Hours later, when the sub failed to resurface, the US Coast Guard was notified that it was overdue.
The Search Begins:
On June 19, 2023, the US Coast Guard launched a large-scale search operation when there was still no sign of the vessel after nearly 24 hours.
False Hope from 'Banging Noises':
On June 21, 2023, two days after the Titan went missing, sonar crews detected "banging noises" in the search area, giving false hope that the crew might still be alive.
Oxygen Supply Runs Out:
At 1 p.m. ET on June 22, 2023, the sub’s 96-hour oxygen supply was predicted to have run out, leading to growing fears for the crew's fate.
A Debris Field Is Discovered:
Later on June 22, 2023, a "debris field" was found, confirming the worst.
The US Coast Guard announced that the Titan had been destroyed in a "catastrophic implosion" caused by the immense pressure at those depths, leading to the loss of all five passengers.