Kriti Mehrotra
As a documentary chronicling the tragic implosion of a submersible on its way to the Titanic wreckage on June 18, 2023, HBO Max’s ‘Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster’ lives up to its title. It comprises not only archival footage but also exclusive interviews with Coast Guard officials as well as those close to the matter to really underscore precisely what transpired and why. Amongst those to thus feature in this Pamela Gordon-directed original is none other than former OceanGate Safety Diver Contractor Tym Catterson, who truly regrets some aspects of the past.
Tym Catterson Shared a Tight Friendship With Stockton Rush
Although not much about Tym Catterson’s background or qualifications is publicly available as of writing, we do know the Oregon native has almost always had a passion for the outdoors. That’s reportedly how he ended up deciding to pursue a career in the same field upon graduating from Redmond High School, which led to him undertaking various kinds of adventures. In fact, whether it be land or water activities – like diving and hiking – he allegedly mastered it all, ultimately even resulting in him landing a full-time spot at the Discovery Network for a while.
Tym subsequently worked hard to evolve into an expert in the world of submersibles and submersible diving, too, which is how he first encountered ambitious OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush. The latter purportedly had a habit of surrounding himself with yes men who would do everything in their power to bring his unique visions to life, but the former didn’t bend to his will. As per his own accounts, since they had formed a friendship over the years they worked together to fulfill the multi-millionaire’s dreams, he did openly disagree with him from time to time.
Tym knew Stockton’s initiative of building self-driving submersibles was not only out-of-the-box but also risky, yet he didn’t realize just how much until he actually stood by him during dives. He admittedly never really agreed with his friend’s choice to use carbon fiber to build the hull, but while he vehemently expressed his concerns, he didn’t have any decision-making powers. Therefore, he resolved to just continue serving as a Contract Safety Diver for OceanGate, hoping he’d be there to help if things ever went wrong, but he never imagined the tragic implosion.
Tym Catterson Testified During the Coast Guard Investigation Into the Implosion
Tym was indeed working on that fateful June 18, 2023, day, and he vividly remembers he had also helped 15-year-old paid passenger Suleman Dawood step aboard the vessel alongside his father. However, he couldn’t have done anything as the submersible imploded in the blink of an eye at a depth of around 3800 meters because it was already too late – it should’ve never even gone into the water, over all the alleged safety concerns. 4 days later, the debris was found, confirming that everyone aboard had died: Stockton, Suleman, his father/businessman Shahzada Dawood, British entrepreneur Hamish Harding, and French underwater explorer/Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
Since then, Tym has come to realize that his friend had backed himself into a corner long before by promising expeditions he could not safely offer, all the while taking private investments. Thus, while he admittedly does not wish to speak ill of the dead in any manner, he did practically testify against Stockton/OceanGate during the Coast Guard investigation into the matter. He stated that he had brought up concerns about the submersible’s carbon fiber hull at least a dozen times, asserting his belief that it was unstable as well as underbuilt, but to no avail.
Tym Catterson is an Advocate for Bringing Back Manned Submersibles Today
Tym even said, the entire process of “training and operations at sea could have been better” before eventually conceding that he himself would have never dived on the experimental vessel. This entire ordeal has been hard on him because he does wonder if he could have done more, but as no one can change the past, it seems like he is now focusing on moving forward to the best of his abilities. From what we can tell, this experienced Submersible Pilot is currently based in Tucson, Arizona, where he proudly serves as the President of a non-profit organization called Re-Sync Submersibles. This company is dedicated to efforts to bring back the use of manned submersibles in all areas, whether education, research, or field work, by gradually and safely reintroducing them to the same.
Read More: Alfred Hagen: Where is the Titan Mission Specialist Now?
