US Billionaire Plans US$20 Million Submersible Expedition to Historic Titanic Shipwreck Site
Billionaire real estate investor and adventurer Larry Connor has announced plans to embark on a US$20 million submarine expedition to the wreckage of the Titanic, despite last year’s tragic implosion of OceanGate’s submersible, Titan.
Connor, along with deep-sea explorer Patrick Lahey, co-founder of Triton Submarines, aim to take a dive down to the historic shipwreck site located at a depth of around 3,800 meters (12,467 feet) in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Undeterred by Last Year’s OceanGate Disaster
The proposed voyage comes less than a year after the tragic implosion of OceanGate’s “Titan” submersible, which resulted in the deaths of five people during a dive to the Titanic wreck site.
The disaster resulted in the deaths of Stockton Rush, British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, British businessman Hamish Harding, and former French navy diver Paul-Henry Nargeolet.
The private submersible industry was significantly impacted by the Titan tragedy, where the vessel, constructed of carbon fiber and certified only to a depth of 1,300 meters, imploded while en route to the Titanic wreckage.
Reigniting Interest in Private Submersible Missions
According to USA Today, Connor and Lahey are determined to prove that ocean exploration can be done safely despite the industry’s recent setbacks.
“I want to show people worldwide that while the ocean is extremely powerful, it can be wonderful and enjoyable and really kind of life-changing if you go about it the right way,” said Connor.
The pair hope that a successful expedition will help reignite public interest in private submersible missions, which suffered a major blow after the OceanGate disaster.
Seeking Certification for Specialized Submersible
Connor and Lahey are determined to demonstrate the safety of ocean exploration with their new voyage. They intend to use a submersible dubbed the Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer. Unlike the ill-fated Titan, the Triton 4000/2 is designed to safely reach depths of up to 4,000 meters.
A spokesman for Connor’s company stated on Tuesday that the proposed voyage would only proceed once the vessel receives full certification from a marine organization. As of now, there is no specified timeframe for the expedition.
