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Titan viewers left unsettled by OceanGate CEO’s chilling comment in Netflix documentary

‘I’m only five minutes in and I’m already freaked out,’ one viewer said

Jacob Stolworthy
Wednesday 18 June 2025 13:43 BST
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Netflix Titan documentary shows moment OceanGate CEO fired experienced pilot who raised safety concerns

Netflix viewers have been left disturbed by a moment in the documentary about the fatal Titan submarine.

The new film, titled Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster, tells the story of the events that led to the deadly implosion while five people were deep underwater on 18 June 2023.

Since its premiere on the streaming service earlier this month, the OceanGate expedition documentary has become its most-streamed title.

Many are tuning in to learn more about what caused the fatal implosion of the sub that aimed to reach the wreckage of the Titanic – and much of the conversation is centred on Stockton Rush, the OceanGate CEO who led the creation of the deadly submersible.

In one crucial scene, Rush is shown firing OceanGate’s former director of marine operations David Lochridge after he raised concerns about the vessel’s carbon fibre hull.

But another moment that has raised eyebrows occurs early on in the film. Mere minutes in, footage shows passengers boarding the submersible, with Rush brushing off any worries about its safety.

“There's really nothing that happens that requires an immediate response. OK, so if you hear a alarm, don't worry about it. The best thing you can do is don’t do anything.”

Viewers highlighted this footage as one of the documentary’s eeriest moments, with one stating: “The OceanGate documentary on Netflix starts out from the viewpoint as you’re slowly being sealed inside the Titan as Stockton Rush is saying “don’t worry about any alarms” HORRIFYING.”

Another added: “I’m only five minutes into Titan: The OceanGate Disaster documentary on Netflix and I’m already freaked tf out. ‘If the alarm sounds, do nothing’ wtf????”

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The documentary also revealed that Rush proceeded with the expedition despite the fact he never received third-party classification for it to go ahead.

OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush makes chilling comment in ‘Titan’ documentary
OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush makes chilling comment in ‘Titan’ documentary (Netflix)

Lochridge previously came to blows with Rush when, ahead of the Titan tour, he steered the sub into a dangerous position during a trip to the SS Andrea Doria wreckage.

At one stage in the film, Rush can be heard chillingly stating: “I have no desire to die and I’m not going to die. What may easily happen is we will fail [but] I am not dying. No one’s dying under my watch. Period.”

When news first broke that the tourist expedition to view the wreck of the Titanic had gone missing off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, the story quickly spiralled into a round-the-clock media frenzy.

After a search lasting four days, it was revealed that Titan had suffered a “catastrophic explosion” around the time communications ceased.

OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush as seen in 'Titan: The OceanGate Disaster'
OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush as seen in 'Titan: The OceanGate Disaster' (Netflix)

The passengers who were declared dead included British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son, Suleman, 19; British adventurer Hamish Harding, 58; French deep sea explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, who’d been on Titan’s maiden voyage in July 2021; and Rush, 61.

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