A former employee of OceanGate alleged in a 2018 counterclaim lawsuit that he was fired for raising concerns about quality control and testing of potential flaws in the same experimental submersible that went missing this week with its crew and passengers on an underwater tourist venture to see the wreck of the Titanic.
David Lochridge, an engineer and submarine pilot, claimed in his counterclaim against OceanGate that he was hired in 2015 by the Everett, Washington, company to ensure the safety of all crew and clients during the submersible and surface operations of the vessel called Titan. But when he expressed concerns about the design and testing of the minisub's hull, he said he was terminated by the company.
OceanGate had initially sued Lochridge alleging, among other things, breach of contract, fraud, and misappropriation of trade secrets – all claims he denied.
In its lawsuit, OceanGate accused Lochridge of breaching his contract by discussing the company's confidential information with the Occupational Health and Safety Administration "when he filed a false report claiming that he was discharged in retaliation for being a whistleblower."
Lochridge and OceanGate settled the dispute out of court in November 2018.
It remains unclear what caused the submersible to go missing or if any of the concerns that Lochridge raised were a factor.
Neither Lochridge nor OceanGate officials could be reached by ABC News for comment.
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