Family of French explorer who died in OceanGate's Titan submarine disaster sues for $50 million

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

August 7, 2024 / 2:45 PM EDT


The family of French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet on Tuesday filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against OceanGate, the operator of a tourist submersible that catastrophically failed during an attempt to visit the wreckage of the Titanic.

Nargeolet was one of the Titan sub's five passengers on June 18, 2023 when it suffered a catastrophic pressure loss and imploded, causing the deaths of all on board. OceanGate had sold seats on the vessel for $250,000 each, billing the trip as a chance to "become one of the few to see the Titanic with your own eyes."

But in the wake of the incident, it arose that industry experts had raised serious safety concerns about the project years earlier. For instance, one professional trade group warned in 2018 that OceanGate's experimental approach to the design of the Titan could lead to potentially "catastrophic" outcomes.

Known as "Mr. Titanic," Nargeolet participated in 37 dives to the Titanic site, the most of any diver in the world, according to the lawsuit. He was regarded as one of the world's most knowledgeable people about the famous wreck. Attorneys for his estate said in an emailed statement that the "doomed submersible" had a "troubled history," and that OceanGate failed to disclose key facts about the vessel and its durability.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/titan-sub-titanic-oceangate-paul-henri-nargeolet-lawsuit/

[cstanleytech]

1. Hmmm I wonder if the waiver if liability they probably had to sign though will kill the lawsuit.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. That was my first thought

that to even get on it (regardless of how much a ticket cost), that there was some kind of liability waiver.

[Mysterian]

3. Gross negligence will overcome the waiver

And there's a strong case for gross negligence here.

[cstanleytech]

4. Even if it includes wording and a caution that it's an experimental submarine?

[Mysterian]

5. Yes

Gross negligence will allow a lawsuit to go to trial, despite a liability waiver, no matter what the waiver says. Otherwise, nobody would ever be held accountable. The judge/jury can decide if the plaintiff is somewhat culpable and adjust the award of damages.

[cstanleytech]

8. Interesting, thanks for the information.

😁

[Probatim]

12. IIRC, the "guests" on the voyage were listed as mission specialists to limit the company's liability.

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

[JI7]

6. Does this still exist ? Isn't the owner the guy that built the thing and died also ?

[keithbvadu2]

7. 37 dives? He would have been knowledgeable about safety and construction.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218064497

Titan Titanic sub safety articles

The unsinkable Titan

[Aussie105]

9. There were questions at the time about the effects of pressure/decompressive forces

on the hull.

How does carbon fibre stand up to repeated cycling of those forces?

But if you are keen to pay up and go down there, you are going to take the maker's word for it.

Can't tell if he has definite data to back him up, or if he is just crossing his fingers behind his back and is being hopeful.

[Firestorm49]

10. He well knew the risk involved.

[Crowman2009]

11. Especially since they used a damn video gaming pad to control this shabby submersible.