ORLANDO, Fla. – The Winter Park couple who went to space and sued OceanGate’s CEO over fraud claims has dropped their lawsuit after the company’s Titan submersible likely imploded, killing the CEO and everyone else on board.
“Money is a driving force in our economy, but honor, respect and dignity are more important to the human soul. We wish the entire OceanGate family and the families of those aboard the Titan the very best as they grieve the loss of their loved ones,” the couple said in a statement on Monday.
Marc and Sharon Hagle had sued OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush in February, claiming the couple had invested thousands of dollars beginning in November 2016. However, the mission kept getting canceled or pushed back.
When the Hagles demanded a full refund of their money in 2019, the lawsuit claimed OceanGate told the Hagles they needed to participate in a July 2021 expedition or they would not be entitled to a credit or refund.
OceanGate’s Titan submersible was launched earlier this month on an expedition to explore the wreckage of the Titanic. However, the company lost contact with the vehicle.
It’s now believed that the Titan imploded, killing Rush, British businessman Hamish Harding, Titanic expert Paul-Henry Nergeolet, and father-and-son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood.
The Hagles made news in 2022 when they launched on board Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket to the edge of space in a 10-minute mission.
Sharon Hagle founded the nonprofit SpaceKids Global to inspire students to get into STEAM careers.
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