In the summer of 2023, the world was gripped by the disappearance of the Titan submersible, which was on a commercial expedition to the Titanic wreck. The event quickly evolved from a hopeful rescue mission, with news media counting down 96 hours of available oxygen, to a grim recovery operation. Eventually, it was revealed that the sub had imploded 90 minutes into its descent, instantly killing all five people aboard.
Even as search efforts continued, reports surfaced highlighting long-standing safety concerns at OceanGate, the company behind Titan. Whistleblowers had previously warned that the sub’s carbon fiber hull could implode under pressure. OceanGate’s founder, Stockton Rush, pursued missions without third-party safety certifications. The disaster, many believed, stemmed from human overconfidence, echoing the very hubris symbolized by the Titanic.
Netflix’s documentary Titan: The OceanGate Disaster reveals that the implosion was not a freak accident but a foreseeable outcome. Director Mark Monroe claims it’s “absolutely shocking” that Titan made over 80 dives, including 13 to Titanic depths, before its fatal failure. The film emphasizes that poor decisions made over a decade preceded the catastrophe, many of which prioritized ambition over safety.
Documentary Focuses On Years Of Ignored Warnings, Corporate Culture, And Risky Innovation Choices
Unlike traditional documentaries that follow a linear timeline of disaster, the Netflix film instead explores the buildup over the years. It does not use visuals like wreck footage or real-time descent maps. Instead, it focuses on corporate culture, regulatory gaps, and repeated warnings that were ignored. This approach makes the disaster more haunting, as viewers realize how preventable it was.
Netflix Exposes Preventable Tragedy Behind Titan Sub Disaster Driven by Warnings Ignored and Risky AmbitionFounded in 2009 by Rush, OceanGate initially attracted respected scientists and engineers with its promise to innovate deep-sea travel. But the choice to use carbon fiber for hull construction—a material unproven at extreme depths—marked a dangerous gamble. Former employee David Lochridge explains in the film how the material’s structural integrity degraded with repeated use, making each dive riskier than the last.
Tech Ambition Over Safety Ignored Warnings, Silenced Whistleblower And Calls For Accountability
Despite internal and external warnings, Rush dismissed safety concerns. He even fired Lochridge after a 2018 meeting in which the engineer challenged the sub’s design. Rush refused third-party inspections and overstated affiliations with major organizations like Boeing and NASA. His persona, inspired by tech icons like Elon Musk, fostered a “move fast and break things” ethos, inappropriate when lives were on the line.
Lochridge filed a whistleblower complaint with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), but OceanGate retaliated with a lawsuit, citing confidential disclosures. Legal and financial pressure eventually forced Lochridge to drop the complaint. This failed oversight could have been the only external intervention before tragedy struck, highlighting serious regulatory blind spots.
The film ends on a somber note, underscoring the need for stricter oversight of experimental ventures offered to the public. The presumed cause of the implosion—carbon fiber delamination—remains officially unverified, as the U.S. Coast Guard’s report has yet to be released. Monroe stresses that while innovation is important, it must not come at the cost of basic scientific and safety principles.