Titanic submersible voyage victim's family sues Oceangate for $50M damages
The family of French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, who died in a submersible implosion last year, has sued the operator of the submersible, OceanGate, for over $50 million. The lawsuit alleges that OceanGate was grossly negligent and that the crew experienced "terror and mental anguish" before the disaster. Nargeolet was among five people who died when the Titan submersible imploded during a voyage to the Titanic wreck site in June 2023.
Lawsuit claims OceanGate concealed key facts about vessel
The lawsuit, filed in King County, Washington, alleges that OceanGate failed to disclose crucial information about the vessel and its durability. According to the lawsuit, the Titan "dropped weights" about 90 minutes into its dive, implying that the team aborted or attempted to abort the dive. "While the exact cause of failure may never be determined, experts agree that the Titan's crew would have realized exactly what was happening," the lawsuit states.
Suit criticizes Titan's 'hip, contemporary, wireless electronics system'
It also criticizes Titan's wireless electronics system, which required a constant power source and wireless signal to function. The suit suggests the crew would have been aware of their impending doom as they heard intensifying crackling noises from the carbon fiber due to increasing water pressure on Titan's hull. "By experts' reckoning, they would have continued to descend, in full knowledge of the vessel's irreversible failures, experiencing terror and mental anguish prior to the Titan ultimately imploding," the suit stated.
'Persistent carelessness, recklessness, and negligence' led to Nargeolet's death
The lawsuit further accuses OceanGate, its CEO and co-founder Stockton Rush, and others of "persistent carelessness, recklessness, and negligence," which resulted in Nargeolet's death. Rush was operating Titan at the time of the implosion. Tony Buzbee, one of the attorneys representing Nargeolet's estate, said that the lawsuit aims to "get answers for the family as to exactly how this happened, who all were involved, and how those involved could allow this to happen."
OceanGate declines to comment on lawsuit
OceanGate has not yet commented on the lawsuit. Nargeolet, also known as "Mr. Titanic," had completed 37 dives to the Titanic site, more than any other diver. He was a seasoned veteran and was considered one of the most knowledgeable people about the famous wreck. His attorneys argue that he would not have participated in the Titan expedition if OceanGate had been more transparent about the vessel's flaws and risks.
