OceanGate’s CEO “completely ignored” vital safety inspections in the run-up to the deadly Titan sub implosion, which killed all five people onboard.

A report into the fatal Titan sub disaster found that OceanGate’s cultural and safety practices were “critically flawed”, with the company using “intimidation tactics” to avoid proper scrutiny.

The report, carried out by the US Coast Guard, found that the primary cause of the implosion was a “failure to follow established engineering protocols for safety, testing and maintenance of their submersible”.

Stockton Rush, the company’s CEO, was on board the Titan sub when it disappeared on June 18, 2023, while around 3,800 metres below the surface of the Atlantic.

A four-day search for life ensued, with the eventual discovery of a debris field containing parts of the Titan found around 500 metres from the bow of the liner.