Titanic Missing Submersible Updates

[Cachoo]

Missing Submersible: Vessel Disappears During Dive to the Titanic Wreck Site

Five people were in the submersible, which lost contact with a surface vessel on Sunday morning, the Coast Guard said. A search and rescue mission is underway in the North Atlantic.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Buzz]

Can’t imagine anything more terrifying! Hope they are found soon!

 

[Private Citizen]

This is sad and terrifying, but also stupid. I understand people want to push the limits of adventure travel, but I just cannot fathom how people would think this was a good idea given all the dangers. Money doesn't buy sense....

I hope that the vessel is located, and I also hope that the billionaires on board (or an insurance company) fully reimburses taxpayers for these rescue efforts.

 

[Miezekatze]

On a rare account of partially agreeing with PC , I had never even heard of something like this existing, when I read the headline I thought it was some scientific expedition that disappeared, but then learned it's some luxury tourist trip that costs 223.000 dollars per person and one former client said when interviewed the vessel seemed partially "improvised" to him

Still of course I hope there's hope for the people.

 

[once_upon]

The update I read this morning (Tuesday), indicated they have very little oxygen left. Depending on the depth of the vessel when (if) found, the needed time to bring to surface may not be enough for the deep sea rescue.

At least the identified (by family) members of the persons on board don't seem to be scientists but very wealthy people who could pay the $$$$$$ "exploration fees". According to one previous "team member", you sign a very extensive Acknowledgement of risks/release of liability.

 

[Cachoo]

Some people have more money than sense. You could not pay me enough.....
https://twitter.com/fnpmarieoh/status/1670931677013524487?s=42&t=TxGQXO_Xo-oX5p3HGBd5Pwj
The controller is on Amazon
https://twitter.com/TomHoefWrites/status/1670995427729047553

 

[jenny12]

How terrifying! I hope they are rescued but it’s not looking good. I can’t imagine myself even remotely entertaining the thought to do this.

 

[Prancer]

Some people have more money than sense. You could not pay me enough.....
https://twitter.com/fnpmarieoh/status/1670931677013524487?s=42&t=TxGQXO_Xo-oX5p3HGBd5Pwj

Me, either, even without seeing this video or the tweet below (if true). The people who have been working on researching the Titanic have all kinds of problems because of the depth (13K feet=4000 meters); what on earth makes people think something that far down is a cool tourist destination?

https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1671282716090802178/photo/1

 

[Barbara Manatee]

Here's a thoughtful explanation from a submarine expert - https://youtu.be/4dka29FSZac - and whoa. I think it's only fair the CEO of the company was on board because holy crap, was there ever a lot of dangerous arrogance involved.

 

[Miezekatze]

I just read an interview with some Bavarian businessman who booked a trip on the submarine in 2021 and says in hindsight it was insane and he'd not do it again. Apparently their trip was postponed several times due to technical problems and then when they were finally starting something had to be welded on the trunk (not sure if that's the right English word) of the boat while they were already sitting inside. He apparently only paid 100.000 dollars for the trip, maybe it was a shorter expedition or inflation hit strongly

Sounds a bit like something Elon Musk would offer , maybe the CEO is a similar type of person.

 

[misskarne]

Wait, this is a tourist dive? I thought it was a scientific exploration. I was quite concerned for the loss of scientists/a scientific vessel. To say I'm less concerned about a bunch of rich ghouls who thought it appropriate to do a stupid, risky dive around what is essentially a giant grave site would be an understatement.

 

[once_upon]

Underwater noises detected

Underwater noises detected during search for missing Titanic submersible

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/06/21/titanic-sub-missing-search-update/

I feel that the tourists or their families need to pay the enormous costs of this rescue or eventual recovery efforts.

 

[Jenny]

Agree with those saying someone - not the public/taxpayers - needs to pay for this, can't even imagine the cost. This is common practice where I live - if individuals choose to climb cranes or they fall off clearly marked bluffs for example, they are charged for the rescue effort.

However, this is a different case. The people on board paid a company to take them, and it was all legal. Stupid perhaps, but legal. The company who runs the excursion is the one that needs to pay because they (and their insurers) should have been prepared for this kind of thing.

 

[Tesla]

I agree that the company should be paying for the search and recovery (I think rescue is doubtful at this point). While I think it's ghoulish to go on a dive to view the Titanic, that isn't much different from touring an infamous building or even, to some extent, a graveyard. What gets me is the blind faith in a company and seemed to cut corners right and left! I read the twitter threads posted above and watched the video that @Barbara Manatee linked, and no one could pay me enough money to get into that thing! Holy sh*t, were they cavalier with safety. My heart aches for those poor people.

 

[allezfred]

Sounds a bit like something Elon Musk would offer , maybe the CEO is a similar type of person.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1669034601983926277

 

[genevieve]

I read an article last night where a previous participant says that the contract mentions possible (probable?) death being the outcome three times in the first page. The clients took this on knowing the risks, with sort of a 'no heroic measures' waiver left behind. I know that we, as people, feel responsibility for lives, and an endless curiosity for all things Titanic (guilty!), but the only reason I can see for a search is for the employee of the company - and even he should have something in place where the company pays his estate big money in the likely outcome of his death on duty.

 

[Cachoo]

Pakistan is having a day of mourning for the 100plus citizens who were among the immigrants lost off of Greece recently. If only others had moved heaven and earth to help them the way help is afforded this submersible. I wonder if we will ever know what happened.

 

[Wyliefan]

I read an article last night where a previous participant says that the contract mentions possible (probable?) death being the outcome three times in the first page.

I cannot imagine signing a contract like that. It boggles the mind. Even if someone had a death wish, who wants to go like THAT?

 

[MacMadame]

I read an article last night where a previous participant says that the contract mentions possible (probable?) death being the outcome three times in the first page. The clients took this on knowing the risks, with sort of a 'no heroic measures' waiver left behind.

Except I sign waivers that say I might die if I do "this" all the time. So do a lot of people. I don't really think I'm going to die doing a marathon or a triathlon though. I mean I know people do but it's so rare that whenever it happens anywhere in the world, it's news.

And sometimes the activity that I'm signing a waiver for is even more innocuous than those things. Like indoor sky diving. Or taking swimming lessons.

I cannot imagine signing a contract like that. It boggles the mind. Even if someone had a death wish, who wants to go like THAT?

Because they didn't take it seriously, is my take. Though for a certain sort of person, the idea that you could die adds to the thrill. (Or so they say.)

ETA a lot of people are making fun of the game controller and getting a part from Camping World but I say if it works, why not? What is concerning is things like the viewport not being strong enough.

 

[misskarne]

I cannot imagine signing a contract like that. It boggles the mind. Even if someone had a death wish, who wants to go like THAT?

If I had a dollar for every time I read the words "you accept that motorsport is dangerous, and accidents can happen" during my brief rallying career and every time I go to a race...well, I could go to a lot more races.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

If I had a dollar for every time I read the words "you accept that motorsport is dangerous, and accidents can happen" during my brief rallying career and every time I go to a race...well, I could go to a lot more races.

As long as the masses are entertained by the modern day chariot races (and in the past I attended in person occasionally the lower level series within US NASCAR).

 

[Wyliefan]

If I had a dollar for every time I read the words "you accept that motorsport is dangerous, and accidents can happen" during my brief rallying career and every time I go to a race...well, I could go to a lot more races.

But death by suffocation in a tiny dark tin can in the depths of the ocean ... for me, that's a whole other level of nightmarish. YMMV.

 

[once_upon]

But death by suffocation in a tiny dark tin can in the depths of the ocean ... for me, that's a whole other level of nightmarish. YMMV.

And being dark, dark, dark. Unless you are talking to your fellow doomed travelers all the time you wouldn't know when or if you are the last one to die. And you are probably hearing gasping for air cries.

 

[once_upon]

The calculations of how much oxygen they had, it"s likely they are dead now. Or will be by morning.

 

[Orm Irian]

if it works, why not?

Because every health and safety regulation in the world is written in blood. And just because something works doesn't mean it's safe, sadly.

 

[Dobre]

Regardless of who & what is at fault, it is a tragic situation and my prayers go out for these people.

 

[Karen-W]

And being dark, dark, dark. Unless you are talking to your fellow doomed travelers all the time you wouldn't know when or if you are the last one to die. And you are probably hearing gasping for air cries.

If it's as cold as has been reported, there probably aren't any last gasps for air or cries. Just a deep sleep overtaking each one silently.

 

[once_upon]

I agree it's tragic, thrill seekers with too much money. Yes, prayers go out.

I certainly hope they do not suffer pain, but I think based upon people who are lacking 02, there was some panic and gasping before the cold and slumber began.

 

[skatfan]

I find it distasteful that public $ have to go toward a possible rescue/recovery for this submersible. They were operating to avoid any regulations for safety reasons for a tourist destination for billionaire joy rides.

 

[MsZem]

It seems pretty likely that there was a catastrophic failure, in which case they would have died quickly - a merciful outcome, given the alternatives.

They may never be found. There's just too much ocean out there.