Stockton Rush Was Dedicated to Ocean Exploration. His Cofounder Still Is Despite the Deadly Risks
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story:
In June 2023, the OceanGate Expeditions submersible Titan imploded while descending to the wreckage of the Titanic. All five passengers died.
Company cofounder Guillermo Söhnlein has publicly defended his late business partner, OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, and ocean exploration more broadly.
A year after the disaster, Söhnlein announced plans for his current company to explore Dean's Blue Hole in The Bahamas.
On June 16, 2023, OceanGate Expeditions CEO Stockton Rush and four other passengers left the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, for the thrill of a lifetime—a submersible dive to the sunken Titanic. Tragically, none of them returned to shore.
'They knew what they were getting into,' OceanGate cofounder Guillermo Söhnlein said. 'And yeah, and it's just, it's a sad thing that they died doing something that they were passionate about.'
Streaming June 11, the Netflix documentary Titan: The OceanGate Disaster takes a closer look at the titular craft's deadly underwater implosion and the events preceding it. It also examines the business practices of Rush and whether they ultimately played a role in the accident.
While Rush's company has drawn intense scrutiny, Söhnlein has rendered a different image of his former business partner—insisting his commitment to exploration is worth continuing.
Rush and Söhnlein cofounded OceanGate in 2009 in Seattle. Similar to space tourism brands such as Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic—created by Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson, respectively—the company's mission was to make undersea exploration more accessible.
According to Söhnlein, he and Rush planned to purchase a 'fleet' of submersibles capable of diving at least 4,000 meters. The craft could be used for a variety of purposes, including tourism, military operations, and scientific research. 'The whole intent was to create these work subs and, in that way, as our tagline was in the early days: Open the oceans for all of humanity,' Söhnlein told Sky News in 2023.
The company's first five-person submersible, Antipodes, followed this model and was used primarily by researchers and what Söhnlein called 'citizen scientists'—or regular people fully trained as crew members for their respective excursions. In June 2011, Antipodes successfully explored the wreckage of the S.S. Governor off the coast of Washington.
But by 2013, Rush determined OceanGate needed to build its own craft to explore greater depths as originally intended. That same year, Rush became CEO when Söhnlein left the company, though he maintained a minority stake. He testified that as of September 2024, he had approximately 500,000 common shares but 'basically resigned myself to the fact that I'm probably never going to see anything out of that equity stake.'
That's because of what would happen a decade later in the North Atlantic Ocean.
In July 2021, OceanGate made its first successful dive to the wreck site of the Titanic, the massive ocean liner that sank on April 14, 1912, and resulted in more than 1,500 deaths. Rush and his team used the company's Titan submersible, which had a unique carbon fiber hull to make it lighter and less expensive to build.
But during the expedition in June 2023, team members lost contact with the Titan. After a frantic days-long search for the craft, investigators recovered debris on June 22 and determined the submersible suffered a catastrophic implosion. All five passengers—including Rush, 61, and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77—died.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) later determined that layers of the Titan's carbon fiber hull had begun to delaminate, or break apart, a year prior—ultimately compromising the craft's integrity. This, along with testimony from a former employee saying an accident was 'inevitable,' led to scrutiny of Rush's business and safety practices as company CEO.
The Netflix documentary promises to look at 'technical challenges, moral dilemmas, and shockingly poor decisions' that led to the implosion.
However, Söhnlein, who has never been on a Titanic dive, has publicly defended Rush. He denied leaving OceanGate over safety concerns and told CTV News that OceanGate 'operated as safely as possible and we had a very safety-conscious culture' prior to his 2013 departure.
Then in September 2024, Söhnlein testified to a USCG panel that Rush performed the first manned test dive of Titan on his own and recalled their conversation beforehand. 'He goes, 'I don't want anyone else in the sub. If anything happens, I want it to only impact me. It's my design, I believe in it, I trust it, but I don't want to risk anyone else,'' Söhnlein said.
Söhnlein will offer his full thoughts about the Titan tragedy with the November 2025 release of his book, Titan Unfinished: An Untold Story of Exploration, Innovation, and the OceanGate Tragedy.
In the wake of the accident, OceanGate suspended 'all exploration and commercial operations.' But Söhnlein, undeterred by his friend's death, has continued to advocate for underwater exploration. In June 2024, he announced plans for his own company, Blue Marble Exploration, to launch a craft to Dean's Blue Hole, an underwater sinkhole located in The Bahamas. Scientists have measured its depth at 663 feet, but no humans have ever reached the bottom.
However, Blue Marble Exploration's website currently doesn't include any information about the company or planned excursions to the blue hole or elsewhere. Although it's unclear what the future holds for his company, Söhnlein has expressed hope that the Titan implosion won't deter other explorers and said future missions would be a way to honor the five victims.
'Those of us who work in the deep-ocean community know that there are risks. We know that working down there is difficult,' Söhnlein told the Seattle Times in 2023. 'And yet we all believe in what we're doing. We believe that what we're doing is greater than us.'
Titan: The OceanGate Disaster begins streaming Wednesday, June 11, on Netflix. Tudum has confirmed the project includes new testimony about OceanGate and 'footage from the company's early days.'
You Might Also Like
Nicole Richie's Surprising Adoption Story
The Story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Her Mother
Queen Camilla's Life in Photos
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
5 hours ago
- Business Insider
See inside Coe Hall, a 65-room mansion built by a Gilded Age businessman who was booked on the Titanic's return voyage
The mansion, Coe Hall, was built by William Robertson Coe, an executive who succeeded in the insurance and railroad businesses, and his wife, Mai Rogers, an heiress to a fortune built on Standard Oil money. In fact, Coe was the president of the company that brokered the insurance for the hull of what was known as an unsinkable ship: the Titanic. He was even booked on the return voyage of the Titanic from New York City to England, per the Long Island Press. Coe Hall — the second mansion to be built on the property after the original from 1906 burned down in 1918 — looks like it was transplanted from the English countryside and dropped on the Gold Coast, a stretch of Long Island's North Shore that earned its nickname for the opulent estates built by wealthy families around the turn of the 20th century. That's on purpose, as they wanted to make it seem like the home had been there for decades, making them " old money." During my tour of the property this spring, a docent told me some architectural touches didn't match at the time of construction, as if to give the appearance that the home had been remodeled over the years. In addition to the main house, which was designed by the architectural firm Walker & Gillette, the arboretum is home to beautiful landscaping and gardens designed by the famous Olmsted Brothers, who also designed Central Park and Oheka Castle. Here's what it's like to visit one of the largest Gold Coast mansions left on Long Island. Down the other hallway were the kids' bedrooms. They were all closed, though, because Netflix filmed season three of "The Diplomat" at Coe Hall, and these rooms were used as storage. Coming back down the stairs, I got another look at just how intricate and intentional every detail in the house was. Now it was time to check out the much-revered grounds. Right off the bat, this fountain caught my eye. I also enjoyed this courtyard. The landscaping was by the Olmsted Brothers, who also designed Central Park and Oheka Castle. Near the house, there's a small pond and a bench off a hidden path. It's the perfect spot for quiet contemplation. But the main draws of the backyard are the Blue Pool Garden and the Tea House. Before the pool was here, this area was a tennis court. It took 16 workers to dig out 16,000 square yards of soil to build the sunken pool. At the end of the garden is the Tea House, which was built in 1906. The exterior makes the Tea House look like something out of a fairytale. Can't you just hear someone saying, "Once upon a time"? Rogers entertained her friends in the Tea House on nice days. It looks like the inside of a Tiffany's box. The other structure in this area of the park is the Playhouse, which was built so Natalie, the Coes' daughter, could have a place to play house. As we continued walking around the park, we came to this archway made of pine trees. Walking through it felt like walking through a storybook. On the other side of the archway is the Main Greenhouse, built in 1914. This was originally called the Hibiscus House, but now it's a mixture of tropical plants. One corner of the building was anchored by this giant palm tree. There were plenty of paths to walk down to get the full experience. We then walked the Azalea Walk, one of 13 trails at the Planting Fields. That led us to the other greenhouse on-site, the Camellia Greenhouse, built in 1917. It has the largest collection of camellias under glass in the northeast. However, camellia season is in January, so we missed it. But there were still plenty of flowers and plants to check out in this greenhouse. There are many more gardens to see at Coe Hall, including a rose garden, a hydrangea collection, and a dahlia garden. Walking around Planting Fields and Coe Hall felt like stepping back in time and revealed the remarkable wealth of Gilded Age families. Any history buff should pay it a visit, if they can.
Business Insider
6 hours ago
- Business Insider
See inside Coe Hall, a 65-room mansion built by a Gilded Age businessman who was booked on the Titanic's return voyage
Coe Hall is a 65-room mansion that was built on the Gold Coast of Long Island, New York, in 1921. The home, built by insurance exec William Robertson Coe, is inside the Planting Fields Arboretum. The main house, along with its multiple greenhouses and gardens, is open to the public. In the village of Upper Brookville on Long Island, New York, you can step back 100 years — all you need to do is enter the Planting Fields Arboretum, a 409-acre state park that houses an expansive mansion, multiple greenhouses, gardens, and a tea house straight out of a fairy tale. The mansion, Coe Hall, was built by William Robertson Coe, an executive who succeeded in the insurance and railroad businesses, and his wife, Mai Rogers, an heiress to a fortune built on Standard Oil money. In fact, Coe was the president of the company that brokered the insurance for the hull of what was known as an unsinkable ship: the Titanic. He was even booked on the return voyage of the Titanic from New York City to England, per the Long Island Press. Coe Hall — the second mansion to be built on the property after the original from 1906 burned down in 1918 — looks like it was transplanted from the English countryside and dropped on the Gold Coast, a stretch of Long Island's North Shore that earned its nickname for the opulent estates built by wealthy families around the turn of the 20th century. That's on purpose, as they wanted to make it seem like the home had been there for decades, making them " old money." During my tour of the property this spring, a docent told me some architectural touches didn't match at the time of construction, as if to give the appearance that the home had been remodeled over the years. In addition to the main house, which was designed by the architectural firm Walker & Gillette, the arboretum is home to beautiful landscaping and gardens designed by the famous Olmsted Brothers, who also designed Central Park and Oheka Castle. Here's what it's like to visit one of the largest Gold Coast mansions left on Long Island. The Planting Fields Arboretum is a 409-acre state park on Long Island, New York. The estate was purchased by William Robertson Coe, an insurance and railroad tycoon, in 1913. It's now open for tours. It cost $8 to park there, and another $15 to tour the house. The property was in the Coe family until his death in 1955, when it was given to the state of New York. The centerpiece of the park is Coe Hall, a 65-room Tudor mansion built in 1918. There are personalized touches all over the house's limestone exterior. For example, this ship carved into the house is a nod to Coe's ties to the maritime industry and his love of sailing. The building was modeled after English manor homes to evoke "old money" vibes rather than the "new money" that Coe had made. You get almost a medieval feel from the moment you walk through the entryway. It took three years to complete Coe Hall. There are taxidermied animals throughout the house — Coe was an avid hunter and summered in Wyoming. One of the first rooms you can view is Coe's den. It's covered in dark wood, giving a masculine atmosphere. The shelves were filled with priceless books, like this signed copy of Mark Twain's autobiography. Twain was a close friend of the family. There are photos of Coe and his second wife, Mai Rogers, on display. They had married in 1900. This house was built amid Prohibition. So Coe knew he had to prepare for an alcohol shortage. He built his very own hidden speakeasy in his den. A docent told us he spent millions of dollars in today's money to stockpile alcohol. The docent said Coe and his wife had opposing style tastes and suggested visiting her salon across the hall. He was right. If her husband's taste was English, this parlor was straight out of Versailles. On the way to look at the rest of the home, we passed a small side room that displayed a bison head and one of Coe's hunting rifles. The art in the living room is original to the home. It's certainly not a bad place to spend your weekends. This mezzanine was built as a place for the four Coe children to play and store their toys and musical instruments without getting underfoot. The Great Hall is at the back of the home. It was perfect for the parties of the Roaring '20s. This box on the second floor looks like it was made for people-watching, but it was actually where musicians would play during parties. The craftsmanship throughout the house was impossible to miss. Every detail was intentional. These flowers are a reference to Rogers' love of plants — the property itself became an arboretum. There was another portrait of Coe hanging in the corner. On the left is Rogers, and on the right is their youngest child (and only daughter), Natalie. She was married in this room in 1934. Above the massive fireplace is a portrait of the three Coe boys: William, Robert, and Henry. A docent told us it took $1.7 million annually — in 1927 dollars — to maintain Coe Hall. That's around $31 million today. There was another reading room set off the great hall. The shelves were filled with antiques and old books. The last viewable room on the first floor was this formal dining room. The main staircase felt straight out of a castle. This hallway led to three guest bedrooms and the Coes' suites; there are nine bedrooms total. This was the only guest room open for visitors. Each room has a walk-in closet and its own bathroom. At the end of the hall were Coe and Rogers' bedrooms and bathrooms. This was Rogers' bedroom. Like her salon downstairs, it is bright and airy. And no, that's not wallpaper. This design was hand-painted onto the wall. The windows gave her a view of the gardens she painstakingly designed. This is her bathroom. Once again, it's very French. In addition to a bathtub, she had a needle bath. Jets of water came out from different points on the cage-like contraption. Across the hall is her husband's bathroom, where he had his own interesting contraption: an electric light cabinet, similar to an infrared sauna. Down the other hallway were the kids' bedrooms. They were all closed, though, because Netflix filmed season three of "The Diplomat" at Coe Hall, and these rooms were used as storage. Coming back down the stairs, I got another look at just how intricate and intentional every detail in the house was. Now it was time to check out the much-revered grounds. Right off the bat, this fountain caught my eye. I also enjoyed this courtyard. The landscaping was by the Olmsted Brothers, who also designed Central Park and Oheka Castle. Near the house, there's a small pond and a bench off a hidden path. It's the perfect spot for quiet contemplation. But the main draws of the backyard are the Blue Pool Garden and the Tea House. Before the pool was here, this area was a tennis court. It took 16 workers to dig out 16,000 square yards of soil to build the sunken pool. At the end of the garden is the Tea House, which was built in 1906. The exterior makes the Tea House look like something out of a fairytale. Can't you just hear someone saying, "Once upon a time…"? Rogers entertained her friends in the Tea House on nice days. It looks like the inside of a Tiffany's box. The other structure in this area of the park is the Playhouse, which was built so Natalie, the Coes' daughter, could have a place to play house. As we continued walking around the park, we came to this archway made of pine trees. Walking through it felt like walking through a storybook. On the other side of the archway is the Main Greenhouse, built in 1914. This was originally called the Hibiscus House, but now it's a mixture of tropical plants. One corner of the building was anchored by this giant palm tree. There were plenty of paths to walk down to get the full experience. We then walked the Azalea Walk, one of 13 trails at the Planting Fields. That led us to the other greenhouse on-site, the Camellia Greenhouse, built in 1917. It has the largest collection of camellias under glass in the northeast. However, camellia season is in January, so we missed it. But there were still plenty of flowers and plants to check out in this greenhouse. There are many more gardens to see at Coe Hall, including a rose garden, a hydrangea collection, and a dahlia garden. Walking around Planting Fields and Coe Hall felt like stepping back in time and revealed the remarkable wealth of Gilded Age families. Any history buff should pay it a visit, if they can.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Apple Prices Just Dropped to Their Lowest of the Year — Before Prime Day
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Amazon just announced Prime Day 2025 will run for four days instead of the usual two, from Tuesday, July 8 through Friday, July 11. Amazon has already slashed prices on a handful of Apple products to their lowest prices of the year. Some of the best deals we've found so far: a record-low price on the and a 32% discount on the Good Housekeeping Institute-tested . If you've been waiting to save before purchasing new Apple Airpods or upgrade your Apple Watch, the time is now. Not only did Amazon just unveil all of the details about Prime Day 2025, but the retailer managed to surprise us by releasing some of the lowest prices of the year on Apple tech ahead of the blockbuster event. Shop Now For the first time ever, Prime Day is expanding from two to four days this year. The super-sized sale kicks off on Tuesday, July 8 and runs through Friday, July 11. Our team of shopping editors keeps a close eye on Apple deals, so we know which sales are worth it... and which you can hold out on. As Prime Day gets closer, we'll keep you updated on the best Apple deals to shop on Amazon. Expert favorite deal: 25% off the Apple Watch Series 10, making Apple's latest wearable the lowest price it's ever been.$169.00 at at at Expert favorite deal: Second generation AirPods Pro, the Good Housekeeping Institute's top-tested pick, are 32% off.$99.00 at at at Expert favorite deal: $100 off the travel-friendly iPad Mini.$299.00 at at at at Expert favorite deal: $170 price cut on the 2024 MacBook Pro.$849.00 at at at at at at at at at You bet! Amazon Prime Day is historically one of the best times of year to buy Apple products, since the brand so rarely hosts sales of its own. Last year, both July and October Prime Day brought record-low prices to a select few products tested by our tech experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute — and we expect more of the same when the sale kicks off on July 8, 2025. While we predict Apple prices will dip lower once Prime Day officially begins, these pre-Prime Day discounts offer a sneak peek into the caliber of deals we can expect during the four-day event. Deals like this are likely to sell out during the official sale, so it's not a bad idea to shop now while prices are already at their lowest ever. You Might Also Like 67 Best Gifts for Women That'll Make Her Smile The Best Pillows for Every Type of Sleeper
