After watchingTitan: The OceanGate Disaster, viewers might wonder whether the company will face any kind of criminal or civil court cases, and the answer might surprise you. In 2023, the OceanGate submersible Titan imploded with five individuals aboard, and it quickly became world news. Just two years later,Netflix released a documentaryexploring the events going on behind the scenes leading up to the incident. The truth of the situation is pretty bleak.
It’s pretty hard to deny that Stockton Rush was fully aware of the dangers and still chose to proceed with the dives after the horrifying andshocking reveals in Titan: The OceanGate Disaster. His hubris was astounding. Sadly, he didn’t just put himself at risk by diving in the Titan. He charged $250,000 per person to dive in an experimental submarine that wasn’t tested, certified, or classed. The passengers might have signed a waiver, but OceanGate could still face criminal charges and lawsuits.
There Have Been No Criminal Charges Connected To OceanGate’s Titan Submersible Implosion
Stockton Rush Could Have Faced Charges If He Hadn’t Died
As of the release of Titan: The OceanGate Disaster, no charges have been filed related to the Titan implosion. The individual who had the highest probability of facing criminal charges was Stockton Rush, the CEO of the company. Coast Guard investigator Jason Neubauer confirmed in an interview withPEOPLEthat he could have faced charges for seaman’s manslaughter.
This US charge criminalized negligence and misconduct that leads to deaths while in a vessel in the water. While traditional manslaughter requires gross negligence, seaman’s manslaughter requires just normal negligence. Because Stockton Rush didn’t survive, he couldn’t be charged with this. Theoretically, the US statute allows charges to be brought against owners or corporate management. However, charges against anyone else at OceanGate seem unlikely unless the US Coast Guard’s final report finds them to be culpable or at fault for what happened.
What The Investigations Uncovered About OceanGate’s Titan Disaster
None Of The Investigations Into OceanGate Have Provided Their Reports
Multiple investigations have been launched in the two years since theimplosion of OceanGate’s Titan. The United States Coast Guard, the US National Transportation Safety Board, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, and the US Department of Justice all looked into the disaster. Unfortunately, there haven’t been many conclusions because almost none of them have released the official findings reports. The only major conclusion drawn by any of the investigations is thatTransport Canada doesn’t think the country had jurisdiction over the submersiblesince it was created in the US (via theTransportation Safety Board of Canada).
The Max documentary on the OceanGate Titan implosion provides more details and interviews from the investigation by the United States Coast Guard.
Althoughthere aren’t many answers from the investigations as of the release of Titan: The OceanGate Disaster,answers may come soon. Mark Monroe, the director of the Titan documentary, toldTudumthat the investigation was complete and that a report had been written. The only reason that it hasn’t been released to the public is that the Coast Guard Commandant must sign off on it. Since the previous commandant, Admiral Linda Lee Fagan, was fired in January 2025, this responsibility shifted to the acting commandant, Admiral Kevin E. Lunday.
OceanGate’s Ongoing Lawsuits Explained
OceanGate Is Facing A $50 Million Lawsuit
Although OceanGate might be able to wiggle its way out of facing criminal charges, it could easily be subject to lawsuits despite passengers signing a liability waiver. These types of documents can be overridden and unenforceable if gross negligence is involved. In August 2024, the family of French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet filed a $50 million lawsuit against OceanGate, Wendy Rush, an unnamed OceanGate employee, and four businesses that allegedly assisted in manufacturing the Titan (The New York Times). The lawsuit asserts negligence and gross negligence.
The case is ongoing and has most recently been remanded to the King County Superior Court; however, the judge didn’t award attorney’s fees and costs (viaNewsweek). Ultimately, the results of the investigations and the increased attention towards the (in my opinion) reckless behavior of OceanGate, highlighted inTitan: The OceanGate Disaster,might encourage other family members to come forward with more lawsuits.
