The Titan submersible, operated by OceanGate Expeditions to explore the wreckage of the sunken SS Titanic off the coast of Newfoundland, dives in an undated photograph.OceanGate Expeditions/Handout via REUTERS OceanGate threatened to sue a former employee unless he withdrew allegations, per The New Yorker. David Lochridge claimed he was fired in retaliation for raising safety concerns about the sub. Lochridge was fired in 2018 after a meeting with OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, where they discussed safety. OceanGate threatened to sue and destroy the reputation of a former employee unless he withdrew allegations that he was fired from the company in retaliation for raising safety concerns about its submersible, The New Yorker reported.David Lochridge, OceanGate's former chief pilot, was fired in January 2018 after a meeting with OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.