Family Of Victim Of Titan Submersible Implosion Files $50 Million Lawsuit Against Operator

In the aftermath of the unexpected implosion of the Titanic deep-sea submersible in the North Atlantic in June 2024, the family of one of the five victims has sought compensation from the operator, Oceangate.

The relatives of French scientist Paul-Henri Nargeolet – one of the leading experts on the Titanic wreck – have demanded $50 million in compensation.

The lawsuit was filed in a Seattle court in the U.S. state of Washington, alleging gross negligence on the part of the operator and the plaintiffs. The submarine’s implosion occurred 88 years after the Titanic’s initial demise in 1912.

The lawsuit states that defects and inadequacies of the submersible were either not disclosed or deliberately concealed. “Decedent Nargeolet may have died doing what he loved to do…but his death — and the deaths of the other Titan crew members — was wrongful,” the filing read.

Tony Buzbee, one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers, expressed hope that the lawsuit would provide answers for the family about the exact circumstances of the tragedy and how those responsible could have allowed it to happen. He told reporters that aside from monetary compensation, one of their goals to achieve through the lawsuit was to “[Get] answers for the family as to exactly how this happened…and how those involved could allow this to happen.”

The document further alleged that the passengers likely experienced “terror and mental anguish” as the warning systems likely indicated to the crew that they were going to die long before their demise.

Oceangate, the expedition operator, has not yet responded to the complaint. The company had offered deep-sea expeditions to the Titanic wreckage for around $250,000 per person despite several experts who voiced safety concerns from the outset, which only later became publicly known.

The lawsuit was filed on August 6 in King County, Washington, and OceanGate must respond to the complaint within a few weeks.