Canada's Refusal to Collaborate with OceanGate, the Company Behind the Failed Titan SubmersibleExpedition
The U.S. Coast Guard has reported critical flaws in OceanGate's design and testing processes for the Titan submersible, a vessel that was at the centre of a recent incident in the northern Atlantic Ocean.
In 2021, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) showed initial interest in collaborating with OceanGate to assess the capabilities of its Titan submersible for marine scientific research and conservation monitoring. The department participated as an observer on a vessel associated with OceanGate during a 2021 dive. However, beyond the observation and a letter of support, no further collaborations or actual contributions from DFO to OceanGate were confirmed.
The collaboration discussions were described as exploratory and routine by DFO, with plans mentioned for further discussions and potential financial and in-kind contributions. However, the DFO's priorities did not align with OceanGate's research and monitoring capabilities, and a further relationship was not pursued after the initial mission.
It's important to note that the DFO was not involved in the incident investigation of the missing submersible in the northern Atlantic Ocean. The submersible went missing on June 18, 2023, with those on board including a billionaire adventurer, a wealthy businessman and his son, and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush. A DFO staff member boarded a vessel associated with OceanGate in the summer of 2021 for a mission off Newfoundland, but they did not participate in the dive to the Titanic wreck site or any safety assessments or operational oversight of OceanGate's missions.
The U.S. Coast Guard report found OceanGate's safety culture and operational practices to be critically flawed, with the design and testing processes for the Titan submersible not adequately addressing fundamental engineering principles. Despite these findings, the Canadian government appeared to have considered collaborating with OceanGate in 2021, but the collaboration did not proceed after initial discussions and no funds were provided to OceanGate.
[1] [May 2021] Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans expresses interest in OceanGate's work and holds exploratory discussions with the company.
[2] [Summer 2021] A DFO staff member boards a vessel associated with OceanGate for a mission off Newfoundland.
[3] [2021] The DFO participates as an observer on a vessel associated with OceanGate during a dive.
[4] [2021] The DFO provides a letter of support to OceanGate, but no further collaborations or contributions are confirmed.
[5] [June 2023] The OceanGate Titan submersible goes missing in the northern Atlantic Ocean.
[6] [Two years before the 2023 incident] OceanGate's Titan submersible imploded.
[7] [U.S. Coast Guard report, 2023] The report states that OceanGate's design and testing processes for the Titan submersible did not adequately address fundamental engineering principles.
[8] [U.S. Coast Guard report, 2023] The report found OceanGate's safety culture and operational practices to be critically flawed.
[9] [2021] The DFO was not involved in the incident investigation of the missing submersible in the northern Atlantic Ocean.
[10] [2021] The DFO was not involved in safety assessments or operational oversight of any of OceanGate's missions.
[11] [2021] The DFO did not provide funding to OceanGate after the initial discussions.
[12] [2021] The DFO staff member did not participate in the dive to the Titanic wreck site.
[13] [2021] The DFO staff member was on another ship operated by OceanGate, but not on board the Titan itself.
[1] Technology, general-news: In 2021, Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) expressed interest in OceanGate's work and held exploratory discussions with the company, potentially exploring collaborations in marine scientific research and conservation monitoring using technology.
[13] Technology, general-news: A DFO staff member boarded a vessel associated with OceanGate in 2021 for a mission off Newfoundland, but they did not participate in the dive to the Titanic wreck site or any safety assessments or operational oversight of OceanGate's missions, as they were on another ship operated by OceanGate, not on board the Titan itself.
