Former OceanGate operations director David Lochridge testified Tuesday at the Coast Guard hearing on the implosion of the Titan submersible, saying he had "no confidence whatsoever" in how it was built. Lochridge was one of the hearing's most anticipated witnesses, CBS News reports. He testified that he believed a serious safety incident with the submersible was "inevitable," the BBC reports. Lochridge said the tragedy could have been prevented if the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration had investigated a complaint he filed.
- All about the money. The veteran engineer and submersible pilot testified that he felt like a "show pony" hired to bring scientific credibility to OceanGate. "The whole idea behind the company was to make money," he said. "There was very little in the way of science."
- A "total disregard for safety." Lochridge testified that OceanGate founder Stockton Rush, one of five people who died in the June 2023 implosion, had a "total disregard for safety" and always dismissed his concerns when he brought them up in meetings, Sky News reports. He said he believed his concerns were ignored due cost-cutting—and "the desire to get to the Titanic as quickly as they could to start making profit."