The family of Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a French explorer, is filing a legal claim for wrongful death. They accuse the operator of the submarine in which he died of grossly negligent acts and are demanding upwards of $50 million. Nargeolet was one of the five victims of the Titan submarine’s implosion during an expedition to the infamous Titanic wreck in the North Atlantic in June 2023. The journey, supervised by OceanGate, a firm based in Washington, was done on an experimental submarine, and it ended in fatality with no survivors.
Often referred to as ‘Mr Titanic’, Nargeolet was known for his numerous visits to the Titanic site and was considered among the most informed individuals on the wreck globally. His estate’s solicitors revealed in an email that the ill-fated submarine had a chequered past that OceanGate failed to disclose, particularly regarding the sub’s key features and resilience.
As detailed in the legal claim, the Titan unexpectedly dropped weights approximately an hour and a half into its descent, signalling a potential dive termination or abort attempt. While the precise failure cause remains uncertain, experts concur that the crew would have been fully aware of the impending catastrophe. The document stated that the sub’s crew would have recognised the intensifying cracking sounds of the carbon fibre under the pressure of the water on the Titan’s hull. A possible loss of contact and power could have occurred. Experts speculate that the crew would have continued to sink, mindful of the vessel’s unavoidable demise and experiencing fear and emotional distress before the sub ultimately collapsed.
A representative from OceanGate declined to comment on the case, which was officially lodged on Tuesday in King County, Washington. The Buzbee Law Firm of Houston, Texas, representing the family, stated in their announcement that the lawsuit alleges that OceanGate deliberately concealed many of the sub’s defects and weaknesses, despite designating Nargeolet as a crew member.
Tony Buzbee, a legal representative involved in the lawsuit, stated that one of the primary aims of the suit was to unravel the truth behind the incident for the family, including the parties involved and how such an event was allowed to occur. Questions were voiced in the wake of the catastrophe about the doomed fate of the Titan because of its distinctive design and the creator’s resistance to participate in industry-standard independent inspections. The Titan’s destruction heightened queries about the sustainability and prospects of private deep-sea exploration.
The US Coast Guard rapidly organised a top-level probe that is still underway. A major public hearing, which forms part of the investigation, is planned for September. On a Sunday morning, June 18, 2023, the Titan undertook its final voyage and severed communication with its support ship around two hours later.
Following a globally watched search and rescue mission, the Titan’s wreckage was discovered on the seafloor, approximately 984 feet away from the Titanic’s bow, around 435 miles south of St John’s, Newfoundland. The Titan was managed by OceanGate’s CEO and co-founder, Stockton Rush, when it crumbled. British explorer Hamish Harding and prominent Pakistani family members, Shahzada Dawood and Suleman Dawood, were among the individuals who tragically lost their lives in addition to Mr Rush and Mr Nargeolet.
The company holding the salvage rights to the Titanic is presently on its maiden expedition to the crash site in many years. RMS Titanic Inc., a firm from Georgia, initiated its first journey to the location from Providence, Rhode Island since 2010 the previous month. Mr Nargeolet was the director of underwater research for RMS Titanic. His estate’s legal representatives depicted him as an accomplished professional in underwater expeditions, who would not have engaged in the Titan expedition had the company been more forthcoming.