OceanGate co-founder to speak at Coast Guard hearing for Titan implosion

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Monday’s hearing will begin with testimony from OceanGate’s Argentinian Co-Founder, Guillermo Sohnlein, who left the exploration company in 2013.

Following Sohnlein, the Coast Guard panel will hear from Roy Thomas, who represents the American Bureau of Shipping, which classes and certifies submersibles. The Titan was not classed when it imploded on its way to the Titanic.

Closing out the day, Former OceanGate Engineering Director Phil Brooks will testify about his time with the company. Brooks became engineering director after Tony Nissen, whom the panel heard from on the first day of the public hearing.

On the latest day of the hearing, a former OceanGate contractor explained how she felt when raising safety concerns. She told the panel about one instance where she was taken off the navigation team after notifying superiors of an issue with the navigation system.

Former OceanGate Marine Operations Director David Lochridge, who turned whistleblower, detailed numerous issues he fought to correct during his testimony. He concluded by saying that if OSHA had investigated his complaint further, the Titan’s implosion may have been avoided.

LIVE UPDATES:

9:03 a.m.

Sohnleing details his professional background.

9:00 a.m.

Sohnlein called to the witness stand.

8:35 a.m.

Recess called until 9 a.m.

8:34 a.m.

The Coast Guard reviewed former OceanGate contractor Antonella Wilby’s NDA and determined it did not prevent her from sharing safety concerns.

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