Scotland's papers: A&E waits for over-60s and Trump warning to Putin

Published in Food and Wine on Thursday, August 14th 2025 at 2:40 GMT by BBC
^{🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source}

A review of the front page stories from the daily newspapers in Scotland.

Titan Submersible Disaster: New Revelations from US Coast Guard Hearing

The tragic implosion of the Titan submersible, which claimed the lives of five people during a dive to the Titanic wreck in June 2023, has come under intense scrutiny in a US Coast Guard investigative hearing. The proceedings, which began in September 2024, have unveiled previously undisclosed details about the final moments of the vessel, the operational decisions leading up to the disaster, and the broader safety concerns surrounding OceanGate Expeditions, the company behind the submersible. This hearing aims to determine the causes of the catastrophe and recommend measures to prevent future incidents in the largely unregulated field of deep-sea exploration.

At the heart of the revelations is the timeline of the Titan's last communications. According to testimony from Fred Hagen, a former OceanGate mission specialist who had previously dived in the Titan, the submersible's final message to the support ship Polar Prince was a text stating "all good here." This innocuous update came just before the vessel suffered a catastrophic implosion under immense ocean pressure, at a depth of approximately 3,800 meters. The hearing presented acoustic data suggesting that the implosion occurred around 10:00 GMT on 18 June 2023, shortly after the submersible lost contact. Experts explained that the event would have been instantaneous, with the pressure equivalent to the weight of the Eiffel Tower crushing down on every square inch of the hull, leaving no time for the occupants to react or suffer.

The victims of the disaster were Stockton Rush, the CEO and co-founder of OceanGate, who piloted the submersible; British adventurer Hamish Harding; French Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet; and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood along with his 19-year-old son Suleman. The group had embarked on what was marketed as a groundbreaking tourist expedition to view the Titanic wreckage, paying up to $250,000 per person for the privilege. The hearing has painted a picture of high-stakes ambition clashing with engineering realities, as witnesses described Rush's determination to push boundaries in submersible design.

A key focus of the inquiry has been the Titan's unconventional construction. Unlike traditional submersibles made from titanium or steel, the Titan featured a carbon-fiber composite hull, which was lighter and potentially cheaper but raised significant durability concerns. Tony Nissen, OceanGate's former engineering director, testified that he had refused to pilot the vessel due to safety worries, stating he was "not getting in it." He revealed that the company had ignored warnings from experts, including a 2018 letter from the Marine Technology Society urging caution over the experimental design. Nissen described a rushed development process, where the submersible underwent only a fraction of the typical testing cycles. For instance, while industry standards might require hundreds of pressure tests, the Titan had far fewer, and one test even resulted in a loud "crack" that alarmed engineers.

Further testimony highlighted operational red flags. Renata Rojas, another former OceanGate employee, recounted a 2021 incident where the Titan became stuck on the seafloor during a test dive, requiring hours to free it. She also noted that the company prioritized "getting to the Titanic" over thorough safety protocols, with Rush reportedly dismissing concerns by comparing the submersible's risks to those of space travel, famously saying safety was "pure waste." The hearing delved into the submersible's electronics and control systems, which were operated via a modified video game controller—a cost-saving measure that drew criticism for its lack of redundancy and certification.

The search and recovery efforts following the disappearance were also examined in detail. The US Navy detected an acoustic anomaly consistent with an implosion shortly after the Titan went missing, but this information was not immediately shared publicly to avoid raising false hopes. It took four days for remotely operated vehicles to locate debris on the ocean floor, including the submersible's tail cone and fragments of the hull, confirming the worst. Human remains were later recovered, and DNA testing identified all five victims. The hearing included emotional accounts from family members, with some expressing frustration over OceanGate's apparent disregard for established safety norms in the subsea industry.

Broader implications for deep-sea tourism and exploration have emerged from the proceedings. The Titan operated in international waters, outside the jurisdiction of any single country's regulations, highlighting a regulatory gray area. Witnesses, including representatives from the undersea exploration community, called for international standards similar to those in aviation or space industries. The hearing has scrutinized OceanGate's business model, which relied on paying "mission specialists" rather than professional crews, potentially blurring lines between tourism and scientific research to skirt regulations.

Experts testifying at the hearing, such as those from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and independent engineers, analyzed the hull's failure mode. They suggested that repeated dives could have caused micro-fractures in the carbon fiber, exacerbated by the material's tendency to delaminate under cyclic pressure. One simulation presented showed how a small defect could propagate rapidly, leading to total structural collapse. This has sparked debates on the viability of carbon fiber for deep-sea applications, with some arguing it should be banned without extensive real-world validation.

The Coast Guard's investigation is expected to continue for several weeks, incorporating forensic analysis of recovered wreckage. Preliminary findings point to a combination of design flaws, inadequate testing, and managerial decisions that prioritized speed and cost over safety. As the hearing progresses, it serves as a stark reminder of the perils of innovation without oversight. The disaster not only ended five lives but also cast a shadow over the burgeoning field of private deep-ocean exploration, prompting calls for stricter global regulations to ensure that the quest for discovery does not come at such a human cost.

In reflecting on the testimonies, it's clear that the Titan's story is one of ambition unchecked. Stockton Rush envisioned democratizing access to the deep sea, but the hearing reveals how that vision may have overlooked critical risks. Families of the victims have expressed hope that the inquiry will lead to meaningful changes, preventing similar tragedies. As one witness put it, the ocean's depths remain one of humanity's final frontiers, but venturing there demands respect for its unforgiving nature. The full report from the Coast Guard is anticipated in the coming months, potentially reshaping how we approach underwater adventures.

Read the Full BBC Article at:
[ https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj6yn2xzg90o ]

DIY Woodworking

Announcing The World''s Largest Collection of 16,000 Woodworking Plans

Similar Food and Wine Publications

[ Fri, Jul 25th ]: Forbes

Google Brings Clarity To An Ad Space Long Defined By Wine And Guesses

N※N

DIY Woodworking

DIY Woodworking

DIY Woodworking

DIY Woodworking