The family of Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a renowned French diver and Titanic expert, is pursuing $50 million in damages following his tragic death in the implosion of OceanGate’s Titan submersible last year. The wrongful death lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in Washington state court, accuses OceanGate of “gross negligence” in the design and operation of the ill-fated vessel.
Nargeolet, known as “Mr. Titanic” for his extensive work with the Titanic wreckage, was one of five people who perished when the Titan imploded during its descent to the Titanic wreck site in the North Atlantic Ocean. The lawsuit also names the estate of OceanGate co-founder Stockton Rush, who was aboard the submersible at the time of the disaster and also died in the incident.
The lawsuit alleges that OceanGate and Rush exhibited a “devil-may-care approach to safety and an obsessive quest for ‘innovation’ above all else.” The complaint claims that the catastrophic implosion resulted from persistent carelessness and negligence in the design, construction, and operation of the Titan submersible.
The Titan, a 22-foot (6.7-meter) submersible, was designed to take paying passengers on deep-sea dives to view the Titanic wreck, which sank in 1912 on its maiden voyage. Passengers, who had each paid $250,000 for the expedition, were met with tragedy when the vessel disintegrated during its descent. The Coast Guard later discovered wreckage debris near the Titanic site, confirming the submersible had imploded.
Despite passengers signing waivers typically intended to shield companies from liability, legal experts suggest these waivers may not be effective in cases of gross negligence. This has provided a basis for the wrongful death claim filed by Nargeolet’s estate.
Nargeolet, who had completed numerous dives to the Titanic site and led the first recovery expedition in 1987, was widely regarded as the foremost authority on the Titanic wreck. His expertise and dedication to exploring and preserving the historical site were well-known in the field of underwater exploration.
The lawsuit aims to address the perceived failings of OceanGate’s approach to designing and operating its submersibles. The legal proceedings will likely scrutinize the company’s practices and the effectiveness of its safety protocols in the wake of this tragic event.
