Titan sub hearings live: Testimony concludes as Coast Guard hears about build up to OceanGate disaster
US Coast Guard’s two-week long hearing into the disastrous Titan submersible voyage operated by OceanGate has concluded in North Charleston
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Your support makes all the difference.OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush allegedly declared that he would “buy a congressman” to make issues surrounding the Titan sub’s certification go away, a witness testified.
Matthew McCoy, who worked at the submersible company for six months from April 2017, addressed the Titan Marine Board of Investigation panel on Friday for the final day of the two-week long hearing into Titan’s disaster voyage in June 2023.
After raising concerns about an alleged lack of certificate of inspection for the first Titan sub in 2017, McCoy testified that Rush told him, “I would buy a congressman” to make problems disappear during a lunch meeting. The ex-OceanGate employee said that he quit soon after.
“He was either trying to intimidate me or impress me,” he testified.
McCoy also alleged that the OceanGate engineering department was “full of college interns” during his time at the company, adding that he “doesn’t believe” there was a professional engineer on staff.
Captain Jamie Frederick, member of the US Coast Guard who oversaw rescue mission of the Titan and its five crew, began testifying after McCoy. Coast Guard Search and Rescue Specialist Scott Talbot was the last person to testify.
Captain Jamie Frederick’s testimony convenes, hearing returns at 1.30pm
The second witness of Friday’s hearing has wrapped up their testimony. The Marine Board has wrapped up for lunch and will return at approximately 1.30pm ET.
Conflicting intel surrounding Titan noises and ‘sub implosion’
US Navy intelligence provided to the Coast Guard detailed that noises were heard from where they believed Titan’s was located, Captain Jamie Frederick testified.
The intel was initially “classified” and not revealed to the victims’ families or the media.
Based on intel from the Navy, the Coast Guard couldn’t confirm “100 per cent that it was an implosion”.
At the same time, “we were receiving conflicting evidence from P-3 [aircraft] and sonar that there were knocking noises,” Frederick testified.
Newly unearthed detail may have had ‘drastic impact’ on Titan search efforts, witness says
Captain Jamie Frederick was show a document titled “Exhibit 64” by the panel: a line of questioning the Coast Guard’s panel had asked the master of the Polar Prince (the vessel Titan was launched from), during their evidence gathering stage in October 16, 2023 (months after the implosion).
“Did you or crew members hear or see anything after communications were lost with Titan that could have indicated that the submersible had imploded,” the document read.
The Polar Prince master answered: “With the benefit of hindsight, I now believe that I felt the Polar Prince shudder at around the time communications were reportedly lost, but at the time we thought nothing of it… it was slight.”
That detail would have “absolutely” changed the search and rescue efforts, Frederick said. The Coast Guard was not alerted of that information, he said.
“That’s the first I’ve seen… To me personally that would be unconscionable that they wouldn’t share that with the unified command,” Frederick testified.
“It’s a piece of info we didn’t have,” he continued. “It’s information that could have had a drastic impact on the search efforts.”
Coast Guard employee testifies whether OceanGate provided ‘all available information’ during search
Captain Jamie Frederick of the US Coast Guard, who ran the search and rescue mission into the missing Titan sub, addressed whether he believed OceanGate provided all available information during the search.
“There is so much information that has been discussed over the past two weeks,” Frederick said in reference to the Titan Marine Board of Investigation’s two-week long inquiry.
“We didn’t have a fraction of that.”
He continued: “We certainly didn’t have the level of information that has been brought forth.”
Captain Jamie Frederick of the US Coast Guard detailed the moment he learned of noises coming from the location where Titan disappeared.
“Really as soon as the P-3s started flying – so Monday June 19. A couple things we did there: we investigated the noises with the Polar Prince (Titan’s mothership from which it was launched) and their sonar ability.” He added there were additional P-3 flights dispatched.
Data was packaged together and handed over to the US Navy, Frederick testified.
By either Tuesday 20 June, 2023, or Wednesday 21 June, 2023, the Navy sent back a report, which concluded that “sounds were not coming in regular intervals” after it was believed they were being made in 30 minute intervals, he testified.
Frederick added that the Navy said the noises were “not human in nature”. He first shared information with families before alerting the media.
‘Search conditions were good’
“In general terms the search conditions were good,” testified Captain Jamie Frederick, who was in charge of the US Coast Guard’s search and rescue mission to find the Titan sub.
“We weren’t hampered severely by weather,” he added, but noted that “aircraft [was] limited to 500ft ceiling at certain points” during their search.
There were no Coast Guard staff shortages at the time, Frederick testified. All S&R equipment was in good working order, he added.
Coast Guard witness outlines ‘logistical challenges’ of getting ROV to Titan’s location
Captain Jamie Frederick of the US Coast Guard said there were “logistical challenges” in finding and sending a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to the area Titan disappeared.
“What we’re looking for is a 6,000m ROV,” he said. “Those resources are limited and they need to be available, and available quickly.”
OceanGate reached out to Pelagic Research Services – who eventually provided an ROV, Frederick testified.
The Coast Guard (with support from the United States Transportation Command) chartered three C-17 Globemaster aircraft to New York to pick up the ROV. In total it amounted to 70,000lbs of equipment, posing an extreme “logistical challenge,” Frederick testified.
Coast Guard captain reveals initial challenges in search for Titan
“The case is challenging for many reasons,” Captain Jamie Frederick of the US Coast Guard began.
He noted the distance off-shore, the lack of presence from the Canadian Coast Guard initially and a 3,000 meter ROV (remotely operated vehicle) depth.
Frederick added that the US Coast Guard sent out C-130 Hercules aircraft, with the New York International Guard and Canadian Air Force also sending out planes. As Search and Rescue Coordinator, Frederick could direct Canadian assets.
Captain reveals moment Coast Guard received call about ‘overdue’ Titan
“On Sunday… we received a call into the district command center at 17.40,” Captain Jamie Frederick testified of the moment Titan disappeared on June 18, 2023. “It was a report for an overdue submersible at the side of the Titanic.”
“An overdue vessel, in the simplest terms, means you have confirmed departure from a location, and confirmed non-departure – that would put you in the distressed phase.”
He continued: “You’re talking about a multidimensional search: subsurface and surface.”
A Coast Guard crew flew to the area to conduct a surface search, Frederick said. The US Navy was probed for available resources, which they did not have to hand, he added.
US Coast Guard captain who led search for Titan begins testimony
Captain Jamie Frederick, the US Coast Guard employee who oversaw the rescue mission of the Titan submersible, has begun giving testimony to the Titan Marine Board of Investigation.
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