'In light of...': Florida couple drops lawsuit against Titan sub owner after 'catastrophic implosion'
Stockton Rush was sued by (inset) Marc and Sharon Hagle in 2018
A Florida couple that sued Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate, the company that operated the fateful Titan submersible, has announced they are dropping the lawsuit. Rush was among the five men who died aboard Titan after the vehicle imploded catastrophicallydue to immense pressure deep underwater.
Marc and Sharon Hagle sued Rush in 2018 after he refused to refund them over $210,000. According to the court documents, the couple had spent the said money on the expedition, supposed to happen in June 2018, to view the Titanic wreckage. However, after last week's tragedy, the couple took the humanitarian route.
“Like most around the world, we have watched the coverage of the OceanGate Titan capsule with great concern and an enormous amount of sadness and compassion for the families of those who lost their lives. We honour their zest for life, as well as their commitment to the exploration of our oceans," the couple said in a statement.
"As has been reported, we have been involved in a legal dispute with Stockton Rush, CEO/Founder of OceanGate. In light of these tragic events, we have informed our attorneys to withdraw all legal actions against Stockton,” they said, adding that "honour, respect and dignity" were far more important than money.
Hagle's were one of the early adopters of the technology. They paid a $20,000 deposit to participate in the expedition dive when the sub was named 'Cyclops 2'. However, the dive never took place. In 2018, the couple received new contracts requiring them to pay the full amount for the expedition, totalling nearly $200,000. It was during this time that the expedition's name was changed to "Titan".
What next for OceanGate?
While the Hagleshave withdrawn the lawsuit, the troubles seemingly do not end for OceanGate. It is unclear what remains of the company in the absence of its CEO. According to reports, OceanGate has closed its headquarters in Everett, Washington State. The leasing agent informed the media that the company was closing indefinitely.
Meanwhile, law enforcement authorities are trying to ascertain if the case warrants a criminal investigation.
“Such an investigation will proceed only if our examination of the circumstances indicate criminal, federal or provincial laws may possibly have been broken,” said Superintendent Kent Osmond, Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Apart from Stockton,British billionaire Hamish Harding, French diver Paul Henry Nargeolet, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman were killed in the accident.
(With inputs from agencies)
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