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The family of Paul-Henri Nargeolet, who died in the Titan submersible implosion in June 2023, filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against OceanGate.

What’s the deal: Back in June of 2023, the Titan submersible, operated by OceanGate, imploded during its descent to the Titanic wreck, killing all five people on board, including well-known explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet. About two hours into the dive, the vessel suffered a catastrophic loss of pressure, leading to the implosion. Investigations later revealed that OceanGate had used a carbon-fiber hull, a material known to weaken under deep-sea pressure, and had bypassed standard industry inspections.

What the lawsuit says: According to lawyers for the family of Nargeolet, the implosion was “due directly to the persistent carelessness, recklessness and negligence” of OceanGate. They add, “While the exact cause of failure may never be determined, experts agree that the Titan’s crew would have realized exactly what was happening. The vaunted ‘acoustic safety system’ would have alerted the crew that the carbon-fiber hull was cracking under extreme pressure – prompting the pilot to release weight and attempt to abort. Common sense dictates that the crew were well aware they were going to die, before dying.”

Criticism of hiring practices: The lawsuit against OceanGate also criticizes the company’s hiring practices, alleging that the Titan submersible was designed and built primarily by students and recent graduates from Washington State University, many of whom lacked practical experience in deep-sea diving.

OceanGate has not commented on the lawsuit.