A newly released transcript from a 2018 meeting at OceanGate, the company behind the ill-fated Titan submersible, reveals that CEO Stockton Rush declared, “No one is dying under my watch—period.”

The transcript details a heated exchange between Rush, former marine operations director David Lochridge, and three other staff members. Lochridge raised safety concerns, to which Rush responded, “I have no desire to die… I think this is one of the safest things I will ever do.”

This document, made public by the US Coast Guard as part of the investigation into the June 2023 submersible disaster, sheds light on the incident where the Titan imploded during a dive to the Titanic wreck, killing all five passengers, including Rush.

OceanGate has since ceased operations, facing intense scrutiny over the sub’s safety and design. A two-week hearing is underway to investigate the tragedy and recommend measures to prevent future accidents.

The transcript, uploaded to the inquiry’s website, has some redacted sections. The US Coast Guard confirmed the speakers involved in the key exchange during the two-hour meeting.

Lochridge, who testified at the public inquiry, had attended the January 2018 meeting after preparing a “quality inspection report” outlining significant safety concerns. These included issues with the carbon fiber hull and the overall construction and testing of Titan.

He stated, “That meeting became a two-hour, 10-minute discussion about my termination and how my safety concerns were dismissed.” The transcript reveals Lochridge’s frustration, as he reiterated that his concerns had been verbally raised but largely ignored.