Probe blames operator for 'preventable' Titanic sub disaster

This undated image courtesy of OceanGate Expeditions, shows their Titan submersible beginning a descent. Safety failures by the OceanGate company led to the deadly 2023 implosion of its Titan submersible, the US Coast Guard said in a final report published on August 5, 2025. [AFP]

Multiple failures to follow standard safety protocol led to the deadly implosion of a private submersible visiting the Titanic wreckage in 2023, according to a final report published Tuesday.

The US Coast Guard investigation outlined a litany of issues with operator OceanGate's conduct, as well as design flaws in its Titan submersible, that contributed to a "preventable tragedy" in which all five passengers were killed.