‘I’m not getting in it,’ OceanGate’s former director of engineering says he refused to pilot the Titan sub
Tony Nissen recalled telling OceanGate’s late co-founder, Stockton Rush, “I’m not getting in it.” His stark warning about the Titan submersible came before a U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation. The hearing was held in North Charleston, South Carolina, from September 16 to 27, 2024.
That hearing spanned nearly two weeks and featured testimony from more than two dozen witnesses. It examined all aspects of the Titan’s construction, operations, and fatal implosion on June 18, 2023. The accident killed Rush and four others. Investigators dug deep into issues ranging from unreviewed hull design to hasty operational decisions.
During the 2024 session, Nissen discussed Titan’s multiple red flags
He said he felt constant pressure to meet dive schedules and to cut costs…something he feared came at the expense of safety. He blocked a planned Titanic dive in 2019, CBC/Radio-Canada shared. Nissen cited system faults and refused to pilot the Titan, citing mistrust in the operations team. OceanGate fired him shortly after.
Another witness, David Lochridge (former director of marine operations), testified that he had flagged serious safety concerns as early as 2018. He was later fired and filed a whistleblower complaint. Contractor Tym Catterson told the board the final dive seemed routine, with no apparent last-minute problems before communications dropped.
In February 2025, the Coast Guard released chilling 23-second audio said to be the implosion, captured remotely by NOAA
The group was 560 to 900 miles away from Titan’s position.
As of June 2025, the Marine Board wrapped its formal hearings. A final report is expected later this year. In the meantime, a new CBC documentary, Implosion: The Titan Sub Disaster, highlights surprising finds among the wreckage. Intact personal effects and structural debris have given investigators fresh clues about how and why the hull failed.
Post-hearing, the Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board are reviewing evidence and crafting recommendations. OceanGate, led now by CEO Gordon Gardiner, has permanently ceased operations since July 2023. The company says it’s cooperating with both Titan investigations.
