OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush believed 'anomalies' could be detected in sub 'before critical pressure', 2020 Q&A reveals

29 June 2023, 09:52 | Updated: 30 June 2023, 07:25

OceanGate boss Stockton Rush believed "anomalies" could be detected "well before critical pressure", an old Reddit Q&A has uncovered.

The CEO spoke about his plans to go down to the Titanic wreckage three years ago, saying "multiple missions" were planned to document the ship fully.

It comes after presumed human remains were discovered in the debris of the exploded Titan sub on Wednesday.

In the 2020 Ask Me Anything, Rush said: "Here to talk about the 2021 Titanic Survey Expedition. Beginning in 2021, we will begin a series of week-long missions to the wreck of the RMS Titanic.

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"Given the massive scale of the wreck and the debris field, multiple missions performed over several years will be required to document the wreckage fully.

"Throughout the annual survey, dive teams will collect images, video, laser scans, and sonar data to provide an objective baseline of the current condition of the wreck.

"This baseline will be used to assess the rate of decay over time and help to document and preserve the historic maritime site."

Read more: OceanGate Expeditions is still advertising $250,000 trips to the Titanic wreckage - despite implosion that killed five

Read more: ‘Presumed human remains’ recovered in debris of imploded Titanic sub

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Responding to a question about trusting the vessel, the OceanGate CEO said: "I trust it. I especially trust our extensive testing and real time acoustic and strain monitoring system.

"We can detect any anomaly well before we reach a critical pressure. We know of no other sub that is so well instrumented.

"The interior of the sub remains at 1 atmosphere throughout the duration of the dive."

Following the incident, it emerged that safety concerns were raised multiple times before, with several people including Ross Kemp and YouTuber Mr Beast having dropped out of doing similar trips.

Five passengers died from the "catastrophic implosion" last week, after rescuers spent days searching for the missing vessel.

Those who joined Rush on the sub were UK billionaire Hamish Harding, French explorer Paul Henry Nargeolet, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman.

The US Coast Guard said in a statement: "United States medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis of presumed human remains that have been carefully recovered within the wreckage at the site of the incident."

The submarine launched at about 4am on Sunday, June 18, and had enough oxygen to last roughly until midday on Thursday.

Its last 'ping' - which identifies its location - was about 3pm UK time on Monday, one hour and 45 minutes after it launched, and showed the Titan was directly above the wreckage itself, 900 miles off the north-eastern US coast.

The pings are supposed to be sent to its mother ship every 15 minutes.