OceanGate Sub Risks Ignored

In a lawsuit between OceanGate and its former director of marine operations, David Lochridge, court filings revealed that Lochridge had concerns about the safety of OceanGate's submersible. He disagreed with the decision to dive without conducting necessary safety testing and expressed his concerns to the company's management, which were ignored. Lochridge discovered that the submersible's viewport was only certified for a depth of 1,300 meters, while OceanGate planned to go to depths of 4,000 meters. The filing also highlighted that the experimental design of the viewport did not meet safety standards. Additionally, the filing mentioned using hazardous, flammable materials within the submersible. OceanGate initially sued Lochridge and his wife for breach of contract, fraud, and other claims, alleging the sharing of confidential information. Lochridge filed a counterclaim in response, and the case was eventually settled in late 2018.