In a 2019 blog post, OceanGate 3defended the company's decision, saying 4certifying Titan could take years and 5stifle 6innovation. And while they'd used those standards as a 7benchmark in the past, 8quote by itself, 9classing is not 10sufficient to 11ensure safety. Rush, who's one of the missing crew has 12touted his 13maverick 14approach to innovation. 

"I've broken some rules to make this. I think I've broken them with logic and good engineering behind me, the 15carbon fiber and 16titanium. There's a rule you don't do that. Well, I did. It's picking the rules that you break that are the ones that will add value to others and add value to society."

But that approach drew 17criticism from some of his own staff. CNN has learned two 18former OceanGate employees, neither of whom are engineers, raised safety concerns when Titan was built. In a counter 19lawsuit, one claimed OceanGate hadn't performed 20adequate testing on the Titan's hole to check its structure, and the other told CNN he was concerned when that carbon fiber hole arrived and was only five inches thick rather than seven inches, as he says the company had 21assured. Both said their concerns were 22dismissed by Rush and OceanGate 23management, and the company faced lawsuits in recent years seeking to 24recoup payments from those who had hoped to go on Titanic 25excursions after several equipment or weather issues caused the trips to be 26delayed. As the 27frantic search 28intensifies, Conan says there's one 29component he wishes were on the 30vessel, a working 31beacon.