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OceanGate CEO was aware of Titanic danger, says co-founder
The co-founder of OceanGate Expeditions, which operates a submersible that can carry tourists to the wreck of the Titanic, said on Thursday that the company’s CEO was aware of the risks involved in the underwater expeditions.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Vincent Savone said that Stockton Rush had spoken about his fear of being in a submersible that could not surface.
“His greatest fear was being in a submersible during one of our expeditions and facing ‘things that will stop me from being able to get to the surface,'” Savone said.
Rush died on Tuesday after the submersible he was piloting suffered a technical malfunction and sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. He was 63 years old.
Savone said that Rush had taken extensive safety precautions before the expedition, but that the accident was a “freak occurrence.”
“We had done everything we could to mitigate the risks,” he said. “But sometimes, things happen that are out of our control.”
Savone said that OceanGate Expeditions is still investigating the cause of the accident, but that it appears to have been caused by a failure of the submersible’s buoyancy system.
He said that the company is committed to continuing its expeditions to the Titanic and that it is working to make the submersibles even safer.
“We will not let this tragedy stop us from exploring the Titanic,” he said. “We will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, and we will do everything we can to ensure the safety of our passengers.”
The sinking of the submersible has raised questions about the safety of underwater tourism. However, Savone said that he believes that the benefits of such expeditions outweigh the risks.
“We believe that these expeditions are incredibly important,” he said. “They allow people to experience the Titanic in a way that was never before possible.”
He said that the company is working with regulators to ensure that underwater tourism is conducted in a safe and responsible manner.
“We are committed to making sure that these expeditions are as safe as possible,” he said. “We want to ensure that everyone who comes on these expeditions has a safe and enjoyable experience.”