The family of a man who died in OceanGate’s infamous Titan submersible is now suing the company for gross negligence.
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The family of French explorer and crew member Paul-Henri Nargeolet filed the lawsuit. The legal situation commenced a little more than a year after the submersible’s implosion.
The family stated OceanGate had designed and operated the submersible “outside the norms of the diving community.” This ultimately resulted in the Nargeolet and the four other passengers’ deaths.
Nargeolet’s loved ones did acknowledge in their complaint that he was a crew member. However, they stated many of the submersibles now known issues weren’t shared with him. He simply didn’t know how dangerous being in the vessel actually was.
Along with gross negligence, the family also accused OceanGate of causing the crew “mental anguish. “ They had tried to abort the dive around 90 minutes into the descent but were pushed to continue. Had they stopped, the crew may have survived.
Nargeolet’s family is seeking $50 million in damages.
The Titan submersible made its final and deadly voyage in June 2023. Not long into its descent to the famous wreckage of the Titanic, the vessel lost contact with the surface.
Days later, it was revealed the Titan had imploded not long after it started its descent. TMZ further reported that experts predicted those inside the vessel may have only realized they were going to die between 48 and 71 seconds before the implosion.
Others inside the submersible were OceanGate CEO and Stockton Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, and his son Suleman. There were no survivors.
Since the infamous incident, OceanGate has suspended all exploration and commercial operations.
The Lawyers Involved in OceanGate Titan Submersible Lawsuit Speak Out
In a press release, the lawyers involved in the OceanGate lawsuit speak out about the situation.
Tony Buzbee, of the Buzbee Law Firm, stated, “The lawsuit alleges serious issues with the Titan submersible. I think it is telling that even though the University of Washington and Boeing had key roles in the design of previous but similar versions of the Titan.”
Buzbee pointed out, “Both have recently disclaimed any involvement at all in the submersible model that imploded.”
He then shared, “We are hopeful that through this lawsuit we can get answers for the family as to exactly how this happened, who all were involved, and how those involved could allow this to happen.”
Matt Shaffer of Schecter, Shaffer & Harris, then explained, “We have alleged in the lawsuit that had Stockton Rush (OceanGate’s CEO and founder) been transparent about all the troubles that had been experienced with the Titan, as well as the previous, similar models, someone as experienced and knowledgeable as Paul Henri-Nargeolet would not have participated.”
He went on to add, “The filing asserts that Stockton Rush simply wasn’t forthcoming with the crew and passengers about the dangers he and others knew about but the passengers and crew did not.”