OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush had ‘meltdown’ after getting another sub stuck in wreck in 2016
21 August 2023, 11:40
Stockton Rush, the boss of OceanGate, which launched the doomed Titan sub mission to the wreck of the Titanic, had a ‘meltdown’ when another of his subs got stuck in a wreck, it has emerged.
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Mr Rush was exploring the wreck of the Andrea Doria, which sank in 1956, using his Cyclops 1 sub in 2016.
But the sub got stuck on the shipwreck, and Rush himself tried for an hour to try and free the vessel - before relinquishing the controller to engineer David Lochridge, who eventually managed to free it and get the craft back to the surface.
According to Vanity Fair, Rush insisted on steering the vessel, and landing it near the wreckage.
After it was trapped for around an hour, one of the guests on board urged Rush to give the controls to Lochridge, telling him: “Give him the f*****g controller.”
After saving the group on the 2016 dive, Lochridge was eventually fired by Stockton Rush for raising concerns about the safety of the Titanic trips.
Rush, along with French dive expert PH Nargeolet led three tourists on a trip to see the wreck of the Titanic in June but the vessel imploded underwater, killing them instantly.
The Titan sub’s wreckage was recovered after a search lasting several days.
Mr Lochridge has not spoken publicly since the Titan sub disaster.
He received a settlement with OceanGate after suing the company for wrongful dismissal.
