Doomed Titan submersible used electrical system designed by college interns: report

The doomed Titan submersible that imploded during a voyage to explore the wreck of the Titanic reportedly used an electrical system that college interns had designed, according to a report from the New Yorker.

The OceanGate craft imploded while en route in late June, killing all aboard, including CEO Stockton Rush. British businessman Shahzada Dawood, his son Suleman Dawood, British billionaire adventurer Hamish Harding, and French submersible pilot Paul-Henri Nargeolet also died in the incident.

The New Yorker report highlighted a 2018 article from a college newspaper that quoted a graduate claiming to have started designing the electrical system while an intern for the company.

"The whole electrical system – that was our design, we implemented it and it works," Washington State University (WSU) Everett graduate Mark Walsh '17 said at the time. "We are on the precipice of making history and all of our systems are going down to the Titanic. It is an awesome feeling!"

The electrical system was one of several aspects of the submersible's design on which the report focused. The carbon fiber hull was also a problem.

The report highlighted claims that Rush had secured the carbon fiber at a discount from Boeing because it was past its shelf-life for airplane use.

It further documented advanced warnings that Rush received and his refusal to address safety concerns.

"We have heard the baseless cries of ‘you are going to kill someone’ way too often. I take this as a serious personal insult," he wrote to Rob McCallum, an industry insider, who had warned him of the risks.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.