South Florida resident Eric Karman, a former employee of the underwater tourism company at the center of the recent submersible disappearance, has come forward to express his reaction and shed light on the safety procedures within the industry.
Karman, who now ventures out to the water on a boat, used to pilot a research-based Ocean Gate submarine back in 2010. He reflected on the time he spent with the company.
“If it wasn’t for them moving back to Washington, I wouldn’t have ever left,” he said, “But I did know what I was signing up for, dove pretty deep, so I knew the dangers associated with that.”
A different submersible has become the focus of a massive international search effort. Karman emphasized the significant difference in diving depths between his former vessel and the one currently missing.
“Our depth ceiling was 1500 feet,” he recalled. “They’re diving at deeper depths on the Titanic, I believe it’s 12,000 plus feet, so you understand at that depth you’re not going to be able to swim to the surface.”
Expressing surprise, Karman noted the stringent nature of safety procedures on the submarine he operated, and the absence of communication regarding a potential issue in the current case.
“If the slightest thing started to go wrong; we lost a fan on a scrubber, a thruster was sounding weird, we relayed that immediately and made judgment calls based on the severity of the situation,” said Karman.
Offering words of hope, Karman said, “I’m personally keeping them in my prayers and thoughts, and I hope that anybody who hears about this does the same. There’s always hope.”
Karman worked for the company for a duration of two years and believes safety procedures have likely been further refined since his departure.
As the international search for the missing submersible continues, Karman’s insights serve as a reminder of the risks involved in underwater exploration and the importance of robust safety protocols.
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