Lochridge, who spent 25 years in marine operations, was hopeful for the Titan mission until he began to witness critical flaws manifest in the submersible’s design and materials, specifically its carbon fiber hull and unverified components. Despite escalating warnings to management, he was met with resistance that culminated in his abrupt termination in 2018. Following this, he reported his findings to OSHA, but faced further challenges as the investigation faltered. U.S. Coast Guard has since conceded that Lochridge’s issues warranted urgent attention and improvements in their processes. Now, Oceangate has ceased operations in light of the tragedy.

Lochridge believes this incident could have been prevented if proper measures had been taken. After discussing the leaks in communication between regulatory bodies, he concluded that all levels involved could have acted more decisively to avert this disaster.