OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush wanted to join ‘Titanic mythology’ when Titan sub imploded, friend claims

A friend of OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush alleges that Rush deliberately designed the Titan submersible to implode during a Titanic expedition, seeking a place in the wreck’s mythology. The claim appears in a new book and has not been established as fact; it raises grave questions about what Rush knew and the risks taken by those on board.

The Titan lost contact with its support ship on 18 June 2023 while descending to the wreck, and debris found four days later confirmed an implosion that killed all five people aboard. Passengers had paid up to $250,000, and a US Coast Guard investigation later found the disaster was preventable. A former prosecutor said a first-degree murder charge could have been difficult to prove, while reckless conduct might have supported lesser charges.