American authorities are considering filing criminal manslaughter charges over the doomed Titan sub, The Mail on Sunday has learned.
Titan imploded in June on a dive to the wreck of the Titanic in the North Atlantic, killing all on board: British billionaire Hamish Harding, 58; Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son Suleman; French Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77; and pilot Stockton Rush, 61, CEO of Titan’s parent company, OceanGate Expeditions.
Last night, a person closely associated with the investigation into the tragedy said: ‘Interviews with those involved, both people who were directly involved with Titan and those who warned against it, have been taking place.
‘There is serious discussion about criminal charges being brought against those responsible, including possible negligent homicide charges or manslaughter charges.’
The investigation is said to be focusing on those aboard the Polar Prince, Titan’s support vessel, and current and former OceanGate staff, as well as ‘dozens’ in the underwater exploration world who repeatedly warned Titan was ‘unsafe’.
American authorities are considering filing criminal manslaughter charges over the doomed Titan sub, which imploded in June, The Mail on Sunday has learned
Graphic showing the parts of the Titan submersible that have been found following ‘catastrophic implosion’
The source said: ‘There is a trove of evidence, including written and legal, which shows Stockton Rush was repeatedly warned that Titan was an accident waiting to happen.’
A lawyer who is familiar with the case said last night: ‘The civilian passengers signed a waiver but that could certainly be challenged in court should evidence emerge that safety tests were knowingly bypassed and warnings were recklessly ignored.’
University student Suleman (left), 19, and his father Shahzada Dawood (right) were two of the five victims who were killed instantly when the OceanGate submersible suffered a ‘catastrophic implosion’
British explorer Hamish Harding was among those killed in the ‘catastrophic implosion’
French Navy veteran PH Nargeolet (left) was in the sub along with Stockton Rush (right), CEO of the OceanGate Expedition
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