Who is Arthur Loibl? Former passenger reveals grim reality of Titanic submersible, exposes safety conditions behind 'suicide mission'

Former OceanGate passenger Arthur Loibl's interview with a German tabloid is making the rounds online as the search for the company's submersible that went missing in the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday, June 18, 2023, comes to an end. Recalling his experience, the 61-year-old described his deep dive to see the Titanic as a "suicide mission."

The German entrepreneur undertook the expedition to see the ship's wreckage in August 2021, along with OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and French diver Paul-Henry Nargeolet. Both Rush and Nargeolet were on the now-infamous vessel named Titan, along with three others.

Talking about the recent search and rescue efforts, Arthur Loibl said (translated by Google):

"I feel bad, I'm nervous, I have a sinking feeling in my stomach. I was incredibly lucky back then."

The Titan went missing about 370 miles off the coast of St John's, Newfoundland in Canada, less than two hours into its 12,500 ft dive. It was designed to sustain five passengers for 96 hours, which made the rescue effort a race against time.

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"You need strong nerves...": Arthur Loibl reveals alarming details about the Titanic mission

Arthur Loibl, who has undertaken several daredevil expeditions, including treks to both the North and South Pole, described his 2021 expedition, which was plagued by several safety warnings, as "the most extreme."

According to Associated Press, Loibl was interested to see the Titanic's wreckage back in 2016 while he was on his trip to the South Pole.

At the time, a Russian company was offering a plunge for half a million dollars. However, when OceanGate announced their expedition for $110,000 in 2018, he jumped at the opportunity. It would take the company two years to finally make a successful voyage.

Arthur Loibl told Bild (translated by Google) that one needed to have "strong nerves" and "be able to sit cross-legged for ten hours." Describing the conditions inside the submersible, the retired businessman informed Associated Press:

"Imagine a metal tube a few meters long with a sheet of metal for a floor. You can’t stand. You can’t kneel. Everyone is sitting close to or on top of each other... You can’t be claustrophobic."

Expanding on the troubling details, Loibl explained that the first OceanGate submersible did not work, and another dive was abandoned at 1,600 meters. Eventually, he was aboard the fifth mission, which was delayed by five hours due to electrical problems, a cause Loibl hinted might be responsible for the failure of Titan on its recent devastating dive.

He further revealed that during his 10.5-hour voyage, lights were turned off during the ascent and descent to conserve energy, and the only illumination came from a fluorescent glow stick.

In light of Arthur Loibl's interview, documents suggesting OceanGate ignored several safety warnings were uncovered.

A report released by OceanGate's former director of marine operations, David Lochridge, in 2018 stated that the vessel needed more testing so as to not endanger the lives of the passenger at extreme depths.

The company later sued Lochridge for breach of agreement, but the former employee filed a counterclaim stating he was "wrongfully fired for raising questions about the safety."

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In a heartbreaking statement, the U.S. Coast Guard announced on Thursday that the Titan imploded near the wreckage of Titanic, killing all five passengers.