5 Dead on Titanic Bound OceanGate Submersible

News broke out just a few hours ago that all five passengers aboard the OceanGate submersible Titan were killed in an implosion. The submersible was on a tourist dive to the wreck of the Titanic when it disappeared on Sunday. A multinational search and rescue operation was launched, but the submersible was found on the ocean floor on today 1600 feet below the Titanic with its hull crushed and its occupants dead.

The cause of the implosion is still under investigation, but it is believed that it may have been caused by a structural failure. The Titan was a new submersible, and it had not yet undergone all of the required safety inspections. In fact, the company had skipped several voluntary safety inspections in order to save time and money.

This is a tragic reminder of the importance of safety in all forms of transportation. In aviation, safety is paramount and everyone is subject to the deadly consequences of not following safety procedures. Pilots and flight crews are trained to the highest standards, and aircraft are rigorously inspected before every flight. This is why commercial aviation is one of the safest forms of transportation in the world.

It is deeply disturbing that OceanGate would skip safety inspections in order to save money. This decision put the lives of the passengers at risk, and it ultimately cost them their lives.  However, this was on par with the direction of OceanFate Expedition CEO Stockton Rush.  In an interview with a Mexican travel blogger in 2021, he said that he wanted to be an innovator who broke the rules.

“I think it was (US Army) Gen. (Douglas) MacArthur who said, ‘You’re remembered for the rules you break,’” Rush told Alan Estrada, who documented his trip to the Titanic, including an aborted attempt in July 2021 before a successful visit in 2022.

“I’ve broken some rules to make this,” Rush added.

This is a deadly reminder of the hazardous attitudes that we learn about in our pilot training.  Anti-Authority or the "Don't tell me!" attitude is defined in the Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge Chapter 2 Aeronautical Decision Making as people who do not like anyone telling them what to do. In a sense, they are saying, “No one can tell me what to do.” They may be resentful of having someone tell them what to do or may regard rules, regulations, and procedures as silly or unnecessary. However, it is always your prerogative to question authority if you feel it is in error.  The remedy to this is of course, "Follow the rules, they're usually right."

How Aviation Safety Relates to This Tragedy

The aviation industry is one of the safest in the world, and this is due in large part to the rigorous safety standards that are in place. Pilots and flight crews are trained to the highest standards, and aircraft are rigorously inspected before every flight. This is why commercial aviation is one of the safest forms of transportation in the world.

The OceanGate submersible tragedy is a reminder that safety is important in all forms of transportation. In this case, OceanGate skipped several voluntary safety inspections in order to save time and money. This decision put the lives of the passengers at risk, and it ultimately cost them their lives.

The aviation industry has a long history of learning from its mistakes. After every accident, the industry conducts a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the accident and to make recommendations for preventing similar accidents in the future. This process has helped to make commercial aviation one of the safest forms of transportation in the world.

We should demand that the same level of safety be applied to submersible operations. OceanGate should be held accountable for this tragedy, and the government should take action to prevent this from happening again. There should be stricter regulations for submersible operators, and there should be mandatory safety inspections for all submersibles.  

Disrespectful Memes Circulating the Internet

In the wake of the OceanGate submersible tragedy, there have been a number of memes circulating on the internet. These memes make light of the tragedy and are disrespectful to the victims and their families. These memes show a complete lack of understanding of the importance of safety. We should all be disgusted by these memes. What should be the most confusing to any aviator or sailor is how these memes are taking off.  Thousands of meme pictures have been generated and shared across the social media platforms and it seems like everyone around is making light of the situation.  Below are some of the horrendous memes being shared and laughed at across social media networks.

Meme making fun of OceanGate Submersible finding Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

Meme making fun of OceanGate Submersible passengers not being able to breathe referencing George Floyd police brutality incident

Meme making fun of EA's downloadable content sales tactics

Meme comparing the OceanGate Submersible to a propane tank 

Meme making fun of how the OceanGate submersible was controlled by a video game controller

Safety is Everyone's Responsibility

The importance of safety is not limited to the aviation and submarine industries.  Safety is important to all industries.  When people are in or working in dangerous environments, it is essential that they take steps to protect themselves.  This includes following safety procedures and wearing personal protective equipment.  Safety is everyone's responsibility.  By working safely together, we can make a safer world for everyone.

The five victims of the OceanGate incident.  From left, Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood, Suleman Dawood, Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Stockton Rush. Source CNN

Top photo from OceanGate/FILE