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Previous passengers recall ill-fated Titan: 'I 100% knew this was going to happen' (apnews.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Talk to someone who went on previous trips on the Titan submersible and they’re likely to mention a technology glitch. The propulsion system failed or the communications with people on the surface cut out. They are also likely to mention Stockton Rush. He's the OceanGate Expeditions CEO who died this week on the sub. Rush has been described as both a meticulous planner and an overconfident pioneer. In the wake of the Titan’s fatal implosion Sunday near the Titanic shipwreck, some passengers from previous expeditions described concerning experiences that foreshadowed the tragedy. Still, others felt they were in “good hands” deep below the ocean’s surface.

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[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Looking back, Weissmann believes Rush had a fatal flaw: overconfidence in his engineering skills and the perception that he was a pioneer in an area that others weren’t because they were sticking to the rules.

Dude learned the very hard way that “the rules” were there for a reason. That reason being even don’t follow them, your sub fricking implodes.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Sadly, he didn’t get a chance to learn from his mistake. Hopefully others will, however.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I think almost every trip on the sub had technical issues. He didn’t seem to learn from any of those instances. If anything he kept doubling down.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

If anything he kept doubling down.

Hmmmmm...seems awfully similar to another sinking ship that we all know...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think he had (I think it's called survivorship bias? Can it be survivorship bias if someone applies it to their own self?) Or just thinking he is untouchable or exception. I am not saying all rich people or their child are like this, but he came from a rich family and sometime people like him get a bit insulated to think anything wrong can happen to them, or they would have a way out all the time.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

A lot of people say "If it's stupid and it works, it isn't stupid!" when really what that means is you've just gotten lucky so far.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think others already did. As James Cameron pointed out in his interviews, this is an engineering problem that has already been solved. Other people use submersibles that have been tested and certified for the appropriate depths and properly maintained, so they don't have to worry about the integrity of their vehicles when they dive.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

and those cost a lot more money than this idiots sub. its not that he was trying to solve a problem that has never been solved, he was trying to do it for the cheapest cost and paid the ultimate price. its why he had a camping world handle and a cheap logitech controller and construction equipment as ballast and apparently got old cf from boeing.