Today's Edition
Berlin (dpa)
The family of one of the five people who died in the implosion of the Titan deep-sea submarine in the North Atlantic in June 2023 is demanding $50 million in compensation.
The operator, Oceangate, acted with gross negligence, according to the lawsuit, which was filed with a court in Seattle in the US state of Washington on behalf of relatives of the French scientist Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
The five occupants of the submersible were travelling to see the wreck of the Titanic when the accident occurred. The 77-year-old Nargeolet was considered one of the leading experts on the wreck of the luxury liner, which sank in 1912.
In an implosion, an object suddenly collapses when the pressure is greater on the outside than the inside.
The document presented on Thursday states that defects and inadequacies of the submersible were not disclosed or were deliberately concealed.
"We are hopeful that through this lawsuit we can get answers for the family as to exactly how this happened," said Tony Buzbee, one of the lawyers involved in the lawsuit, "and how those involved could allow this to happen."
The lawsuit further alleges that the passengers probably experienced "terror and mental anguish," as warning systems likely meant "the crew were well aware they were going to die, before dying."
The operator has not yet commented on the complaint. Oceangate had offered deep-sea expeditions to the Titanic for around $250,000 per person.
Several experts voiced safety concerns right from the start - something that only later became public knowledge.
