New details on what it's really like being on an OceanGate expedition continue to emerge following news that the missing submersible likely imploded on the way to the Titanic wreckage.
Former Simpsons showrunner Mike Reiss has gone on four OceanGate trips, including one to the Titanic, which involved signing a lengthy waiver beforehand.
"It is always in the back of your head that this is dangerous, and any small problem will turn into a major catastrophe," he told ABC News on June 21. "There's a long release. You sign a waiver that mentions death three times on the first page. It's just that they've thought of everything. They want to make sure you know exactly what you're getting into."
And on all four dives he took in an OceanGate submersible, each lasting 10-hours, the sub lost contact with the main ship. "Every time they lost communication," he explained, "that seems to be just something baked into the system."
The 63-year-old also described navigation in the submersible, which consists of only two fans that propel the sub, and how the lack of GPS meant the crew searched for the Titanic for three hours despite landing a mere 500 yards away from the wreckage.
And while Reiss says he respects and admires what OceanGate does as a company, he admits this should be a warning for the continuation of extreme tourism, like deep sea and space exploration.
"It should be a wakeup call for everyone that things can go wrong," he said. "I'm sure they're doing their very best to keep their passengers safe, but things will go wrong. There will be an incident like this at some point."
On June 18, the U.S. Coast Guard launched a massive search-and-rescue mission for the sub, carrying five people on board, shortly after its disappearance. However, officials confirmed during a press conference on June 22 that rescuers found debris from an external part of the submersible "consistent with the catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber."
OceanGate released their own statement regarding the tragedy and its five victims—company CEO Stockton Rush as well as passengers Hamish Harding, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood.
"These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world's oceans," the statement read. "Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew."
"This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss," the company continued. "The entire OceanGate family is deeply grateful for the countless men and women from multiple organizations of the international community who expedited wide-ranging resources and have worked so very hard on this mission. We appreciate their commitment to finding these five explorers, and their days and nights of tireless work in support of our crew and their families."
Keep reading to learn more about the five passengers aboard the Titan's final voyage.