The family of French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet on Tuesday filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against OceanGate, the operator of a tourist submersible that catastrophically failed during an attempt to visit the wreckage of the Titanic.
Nargeolet was one of the Titan sub’s five passengers on June 18, 2023 when it suffered a catastrophic pressure loss and imploded, causing the deaths of all on board. OceanGate had sold seats on the vessel for $250,000 each, billing the trip as a chance to “become one of the few to see the Titanic with your own eyes.”
But following the incident, it emerged that industry experts had raised serious safety concerns about the project years earlier. For instance, one professional trade group warned in 2018 that OceanGate’s experimental approach to the design of the Titan could lead to potentially “catastrophic” outcomes.
Known as “Mr. Titanic,” Nargeolet participated in 37 dives to the Titanic site, the most of any diver in the world, according to the lawsuit. He was regarded as one of the world’s most knowledgeable people about the famous wreck. Attorneys for his estate said in an emailed statement that the “doomed submersible” had a “troubled history,” and that OceanGate failed to disclose key facts about the vessel and its durability.
“The lawsuit alleges serious issues with the Titan submersible,” Tony Buzbee, one of the attorneys bringing the case, said in a statement. “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, both have recently disclaimed any involvement at all in the submersible model that imploded.”
The lawsuit also alleges that OceanGate failed to disclose the Titan’s flaws and purposely concealed its shortcomings to Nargeolet, even though he had been designated a member of the vessel’s crew by the company. Nargeolet would not have participated in the voyage if he had been aware of the Titan’s issues, the suit claims.
A spokesperson for OceanGate declined to comment on the lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday in King County, Washington.
After the sub’s implosion, the U.S. Coast Guard quickly convened a high-level investigation, which is ongoing. A key public hearing that is part of the investigation is scheduled to take place in September.
—With reporting by the Associated Press.
