Stockton Rush, the founder and CEO of OceanGate who was in command of the submarine Titan when it suffered a catastrophic internal meltdown this week, commented on ship certification programs like last year.
The Titan’s carbon fiber design was criticized by many experts, including director and ocean explorer James Cameron, who called it “completely inappropriate” and a “terrible idea”.
On Thursday, the US Coast Guard announced that Titan had gone off its voyage to see Titanic The shipwreck, with all five passengers presumed lost.
During the GeekWire Summit He speaks Last October, Rush said:
“There are certified or semi-certified agencies…these programs are rambunctious in their rules and regulations, but they didn’t have anything with carbon fiber. So we had to go out and work on that. And one of the things I’ve learned is, you know, when you’re out of the box, It’s really hard to tell how far out of the box you really are. And we were so far out there.”
The Titan was never approved, despite Rush being repeatedly urged to do so by at least one expert. Rob McCallum, who runs an ocean expedition company, Share your emails with the BBC which shows him communicating with Rash about the issue.
“I think you are putting yourself and your clients into a dangerous dynamic,” McCallum wrote. On your run to the Titanic, you reflex the famous fishing cry: ‘She is unsinkable.’
Rush responded that he was “tired of players in the industry trying to use the argument of safety to stop innovation,” and McCallum said the exchange ended after threats of legal action from OceanGate’s lawyers.
Elsewhere in this exchange, McCallum writes: “Until a sub is classified, tested and proven, it should not be used in commercial deep diving operations… I implore you to be careful with sea testing and trials and be very conservative. As much as I value entrepreneurship and innovation It could potentially put an entire industry at risk.”
Rush replied, “I am well qualified to understand the risks and issues associated with undersea exploration in a new vehicle.”
Speaking from inside OceanGate’s submarine Interview 2021 With Spain’s Alanxelmundo on YouTube, Rush said: “I broke a few rules to make this… Carbon fiber, titanium – there’s a rule you don’t. Well done.”
Speaking to the BBC, McCallum said: “If you stray from the principles of audio engineering, which are all based on hard-won experience, there is a price to pay, and it’s a huge price. So that shouldn’t be allowed to happen again. It shouldn’t be allowed to happen again.” happen this time.”
