Stockton Rush, the now-deceased CEO of Oceangate, crashed a submersible off the coast of Massachusetts while trying to view ocean wreckage. This news comes as part of an investigation into the Titanic wreckage disaster from 2023. This crash occurred in 2016 and was not catastrophic, and no one was injured. But it was indeed a moment that could have ended in tragedy. Luckily for Rush and the two paying passengers on board, another pilot was in the vessel – David Lochridge. On Tuesday morning, he testified as a whistleblower before the US Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation.
Lochridge stated that Stockton Rush plummeted beneath the ocean’s surface with reckless abandon to reach the Andrea Doria shipwreck. Rush was so careless that he collided with the wreck and caused minor damage to the submersible. Lochridge pleaded with Rush to hand him the infamous “video game controller” to pilot the submersible properly. Rush refused. When one of the paying passengers demanded that Rush step down, he finally relented. Lochridge successfully navigated the vessel to the surface within 10 to 15 minutes.
On that day, Rush exhibited carelessness and selfishness that could have claimed all of the lives on board. This may have been the same arrogance and defiance that caused the fatal implosion in 2023, which claimed the lives of five people, including Rush.
SOURCES:
OceanGate’s Stockton Rush crashed submersible years before Titan disaster
CEO of missing Titanic Sub company once downplayed danger of voyage: ‘Shouldn’t take a lot of skill’ – YouTube
