OceanGate's Titan sub implosion was preventable: report
Farah Bahgat with Reuters, AP
August 5, 2025
After a two-year probe, the US Coast Guard concluded that the submersible's design and safety procedures were inadequate. Investigators also noted a "toxic workplace culture" and "intimidation tactics."
Tickets for the Titan sub had cost $250,000 for an eight-day trip, including dives to the wreck at a depth of 3,800m 12,500ftImage: OceanGate/ZUMA Wire/IMAGO
The disappearance of the Titan submersible, which was on an expedition to the ruins of the Titanic, had led to a search that grabbed worldwide attention.
What did the Coast Guard conclude?
The Coast Guard blamed the disaster on the sub owner, OceanGate, a private company based in Washington state whose head was among the five on board.
It said the implosion was "preventable" and cited OceanGate's "failure to follow established engineering protocols for safety, testing, and maintenance" as the "primary causal factor" for the disaster.
The report also criticized the sub's design. The Coast Guard reported that the tour operator's former director of engineering had said the first hull used on the Titan submersible was akin to a "high school project."
According to the report, OceanGate also had a "toxic workplace culture" that dissuaded employees from expressing safety concerns.
Investigators alleged that OceanGate had for years "leveraged intimidation tactics... and the company's favorable reputation to evade regulatory scrutiny."
"By strategically creating and exploiting regulatory confusion and oversight challenges, OceanGate was ultimately able to operate TITAN completely outside of the established deep-sea protocols," the report found.
Leaving the comfort zone: Extreme tourism on the rise
The Titan sub disaster shows what risks some thrill-seekers are willing to accept for a unique experience. Extreme tourism, taking adrenaline junkies to places like former war zones and isolated jungles, is booming.
The Titan submersible, which was en route to the Titanic shipwreck at a depth of about 4,000 meters (more than 13,000 feet), imploded earlier this week, killings all five occupants. Dives to the famous wreck were on offer since 2021, costing $250,000 (€223,000) per person. Many thrill-seekers are willing to take considerable risks and pay sustainable sums for an experience of a lifetime.
Image: OceanGate/ZUMA Wire/IMAGO
Scaling Mount Everest
Some 600 climbers reached the peak of Mount Everest this spring. Yet 13 climbers also lost their life attempting to scale the world's tallest mountain, with four people still missing. Even though companies and local Sherpas help adrenaline junkies scale the mountain, climbing to the height of 8,848 meters (29,030 feet) remains a risky undertaking.
Image: Yang Huyuan/HPIC/dpa/picture alliance
Flying into space
Blue Origin has been offering 10-minute spaceflights since 2021, providing an opportunity to experience momentary weightlessness. The very first ticket sold for a staggering $28 million (€25.7 million). Starting in August, Virgin Galactic plans to run spaceflights as well. The half-hour trip will cost about €450,000 ($490,000) per person.
Image: Virgin Galacti/AP/picture alliance
Visiting war-scarred Syria
Various tour operators have resumed offering trips to Syria, which has been torn apart by years of civil war. But critics say taking tourists into government-controlled areas will indirectly support the Assad regime. During years of fighting, numerous attractions, such as the ancient city of Palmyra (pictured), sustained heavy damage.
Image: Omar Sanadiki/AP/picture alliance
Exploring Ukraine's liberated towns and cities
The area surrounding Ukraine's damaged Chernobyl nuclear power plant became a veritable tourist hot spot in recent years. All that changed when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country in 2022. However, and perhaps more controversially, some operators now offer trips to places that have been liberated from Russian occupation, such as Bucha and Irpin.
Image: Serg Glovny/ZUMA/picture alliance
Looking behind North Korea's Iron Curtain
North Korea is one of the most isolated and least touristic countries in the world. Currently, foreigners are not allowed to enter due to the COVID pandemic. In principle, however, certain tour operators do offer trips to North Korea. Strict entry rules and checks, however, mean only few intrepid travelers actually cross the border.
Image: Yonhap/picture alliance
Bushcraft adventures
Survival trips have also seen growing demand. Tour operators offer a range of different adventure packages, some of which take thrill-seekers to Brazil's Amazon rainforest. There, they can leave their comfort zone, sleep in hammocks, forage for food and learn to make a fire without a lighter or matches.
Image: Gianluca Scalera/Zoonar/picture alliance
Snapping penguins in frigid Antarctica
With deep enough pockets, travelers can embark on a trip to Antarctica where they are likely to encounter penguins. Visitors can explore Earth's southernmost continent by taking a cruise from South America. Alternatively, direct flights to the South Pole are also available for a hefty €70,000 ($76,000).
