A new Netflix documentary, "Titan: The OceanGate Disaster," is stirring renewed conversation about the ill-fated submersible expedition that claimed the lives of five individuals last year. Released shortly before the second anniversary of the incident, the film focuses on Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, and his ambition to revolutionize deep-sea exploration.
The documentary reportedly highlights Rush's leadership style and its potential contribution to the company's ultimate failure. Critics suggest the film portrays Rush as driven by a desire for innovation, but also stubborn and dismissive of safety concerns.
The OceanGate submersible, Titan, imploded on June 18, 2023, during a voyage to the Titanic wreckage. Tragically, all five passengers perished: Stockton Rush himself, British businessman Hamish Harding, renowned Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood with his son Suleman Dawood.
Legal proceedings are ongoing, with the family of Paul-Henri Nargeolet filing a lawsuit alleging the passengers likely experienced immense fear in their final moments. Investigators are still piecing together the details of the disaster, including examining the final communications from the crew, which included a seemingly reassuring message: "All good here."
Stockton Rush, the central figure in this tragic story, hailed from a prominent San Francisco family and had ancestry linked to the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Before founding OceanGate in 2009, he worked as an aerospace engineer. Rush's vision for OceanGate was to make deep-sea exploration accessible to a wider audience.
However, his approach drew criticism. Reports indicate that Rush dismissed safety concerns raised by others, once stating he took the warning "you are going to kill someone" as a "personal insult." He expressed a desire to be an explorer in the vein of Captain Kirk, even acknowledging his own anxieties about the underwater environment. Yet, he maintained that the potential rewards outweighed the risks.
The Titan submersible imploded roughly an hour and 45 minutes into its descent. In the aftermath, OceanGate suspended all operations and its headquarters were closed. The company's business license has since expired, and its nonprofit research arm, OceanGate Foundation, also ceased operations. A subsidiary, OceanGate Expeditions, had closed down previously in 2021.
The U.S. Coast Guard is continuing its investigation into the cause of the implosion. The Netflix documentary is likely to fuel further debate and scrutiny surrounding the events leading up to the OceanGate disaster and the legacy of Stockton Rush.