Innovation Or Negligence? OceanGate's Tragic Consequences Of Betting On Inexperience

The OceanGate Titanic expedition was a tragic tale of ambitious exploration gone wrong. The expedition led by CEO Stockton Rush was intended to open up the world of deep-sea exploration but ultimately ended in disaster.

Among many questionable decisions, one stands out: the critical electrical system of the Cyclops II, the doomed submersible, was designed by a team of college students, according to The New Yorker. Rush's decision, while potentially innovative and cost-effective, opened the door to an unacceptable level of risk.

"The whole electrical system — that was our design, we implemented it, and it works," said Mark Walsh, a 2017 Everett graduate in electrical engineering from the Washington State University (WSU) Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, in a WSU interview in 2018.

"We are on the precipice of making history and all of our systems are going down to the Titanic. It is an awesome feeling!" Walsh added.

Warnings Ignored: A Pattern of Negligence? Jaden Pan, a videographer who once traveled to the Titanic aboard the ill-fated OceanGate submersible, claimed that Rush nonchalantly suggested the passengers “sleep” after the sub’s battery went “kaput” during a 2021 expedition, according to The New York Post.

Pan said that a battery died two hours into the dive, leaving the sub at a distance of about 200 yards from the Titanic’s remains. Rush then suggested his passengers sleep as the Titan’s weights dissolved — a process that would take roughly 24 hours, the Post said.

While the late CEO faces posthumous criticism for his apparent disregard for safety, and high fees for trips while using cost-effective methods that ultimately led to disaster, it's worth noting that this type of practice is anything but uncommon.

Read Also: Here Are The 5 Red Flags OceanGate Ignored Prior To The Implosion Of Its Titanic Submersible

It’s Not Just OceanGate: In recent years, tech companies and other industries have increasingly turned to less experienced staff or interns to tackle significant, high-risk aspects of their projects. Yes, there is undeniable value in the fresh perspective and innovative thinking that younger minds can bring to the table — but the trend, underscored most recently by the Titan, raises concerns.

For instance, Boeing Co BA reportedly relied heavily on inexperienced engineers and outsourced key parts of its software development to lower-paid contractors for their 737 Max jets, some of which made as low as $9 per hour, according to the 2019 Bloomberg report.

The resultant software issues are widely believed to have contributed to two fatal crashes that claimed 346 lives.

Another case was Elizabeth Holmes' Theranos, the now-defunct biotech company. It was reported by The Wall Street Journal in 2015 that the company hired young, inexperienced staff to run its laboratory operations, which contributed to the false results and inaccuracies that eventually led to the company’s downfall.

The negative outcomes of the practice can be severe, as the OceanGate disaster grimly demonstrated. Assigning inexperienced personnel to critical roles in high-risk projects can lead to overlooked safety risks, flawed designs, and ultimately, catastrophic project failures.

It could also jeopardize the long-term viability of companies, as the reputational damage from the failures can be devastating.

Read Next: Did The Simpsons Predict The Titanic Sub Disaster? A 17-Year-Old Episode Goes Viral

Photo: Shutterstock