Key takeaways:
- Five people have died in a tragic accident after a tourist submersible went missing and was ultimately lost in a “catastrophic implosion” on an expedition to explore the Titanic shipwreck.
- Red flags over safety issues had emerged about the company years before the accident.
- The tragic accident has left the families of the five passengers in mourning, and has raised questions about the safety of OceanGate Expeditions and other similar companies.
A tragic accident has left five people dead after a tourist submersible went missing and was ultimately lost in what the Coast Guard called “a catastrophic implosion” on an expedition to explore the Titanic shipwreck. The vessel, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, was estimated to have 70 to 96 hours worth of oxygen when it went missing, leaving a deadline of roughly 7:10 a.m. EDT Thursday for rescuers to possibly find them alive.
OceanGate, a privately held company, had charged $250,000 per person for the Titanic voyage and touted its “innovative use of materials and state-of-the-art technology” in developing small submersibles. However, years before the accident, red flags over safety issues had emerged about the company.
NewsNation drew backlash from viewers and on social media for displaying a ticking “oxygen countdown” during its coverage of the Titan submersible. The counter showed the estimated time left until the oxygen ran out in the missing underwater craft.
On Thursday, OceanGate Expeditions confirmed that the five people who were aboard the missing sub did not survive, after debris from the submersible was discovered. The company has not yet released any further details about the cause of the accident.
The tragic accident has left the families of the five passengers in mourning, and has raised questions about the safety of OceanGate Expeditions and other similar companies. The Coast Guard is currently investigating the incident.
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