Submarine Company Covered Up Previous Mishap

A CBS correspondent has come forward with an account of a previous incident involving the now-missing tourist submersible, shedding light on the challenges faced during deep-sea exploration. David Pogue, who had featured the submersible and its crew in a CBS TV segment last year, disclosed that the vessel had gotten lost for several hours during a dive in 2022.

Pogue clarified that he was not inside the submersible during the specific dive in question, but rather in the control room of the submersible’s mother ship. In a tweet on Tuesday, he explained that the crew had shut off the ship’s internet, leaving them with only the capability to send short text messages to the submersible without knowing its precise location. Pogue described the atmosphere as tense and stated that the internet was disabled to prevent any updates from being shared on social media.

OceanGate, the organization operating the submersible named the Titan, highlighted that due to its extreme depth, communication with the mother ship can only be maintained through text messages. Additionally, the Titan relies on instructions from the surface ship for navigation as it lacks independent navigational capabilities.

The Titan’s descent to the ocean floor and return can take up to 10 hours, according to OceanGate Expeditions. Pogue revealed that during the previous incident, the submersible had been lost for approximately five hours, contrary to an initial report of two and a half hours. The miscommunication and navigation issues caused difficulties for the crew, who were attempting to locate the wreck of the Titanic.

Pogue documented the challenges encountered by the crew in a podcast episode of “Unsung Science,” recounting how they struggled to guide the submersible to the intended destination, despite passengers paying $250,000 each for the opportunity to see the Titanic wreck. Ultimately, the occupants of the submersible spent more than 10 hours underwater before being instructed to resurface.

As the search and rescue efforts continue for the current incident involving the missing Titan, carrying five individuals, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, it remains uncertain if similar issues have arisen. The submersible lost contact with the mother ship approximately one hour and 45 minutes into its descent on Sunday afternoon.

US and Canadian authorities are coordinating a massive search operation, aiming to locate the missing individuals before the Titan’s emergency oxygen supply is expected to deplete by Thursday afternoon.

OceanGate has refrained from providing any information or comments on Pogue’s account of the previous incident. Pogue himself has not responded to requests for comments at this time.

The unfolding search and rescue efforts serve as a reminder of the risks associated with deep-sea exploration and the critical importance of communication and navigation systems for the safety of submersibles and their occupants.