US luxury real estate billionaire Larry Connor and deep-sea explorer Patrick Lahey are planning an ambitious voyage to explore the Titanic wreck in a submersible.
Connor, an Ohio tycoon and adventurer, and Lahey, co-founder of Triton Submarines, aim to descend to approximately 3,800 meters (12,467 feet) in the North Atlantic Ocean.
This expedition comes in the wake of a tragic incident last year when an OceanGate vessel imploded during a similar mission to the Titanic, resulting in the deaths of five individuals.
Among the deceased were OceanGate’s CEO Stockton Rush and four other passengers.
Rush had been criticized for neglecting safety warnings regarding the Titan submersible, which was only certified for depths up to 1,300 meters, much shallower than the Titanic’s resting place. US and Canadian authorities are still investigating the incident.
Connor’s company emphasized that their proposed journey will only proceed once the submersible is fully certified by a marine organization.
There is currently no set timeframe for the expedition. The submersible planned for use, the Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer, is capable of safely operating at depths of up to 4,000 meters.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Connor expressed his desire to demonstrate the ocean’s beauty and transformative power when explored safely.
“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,” he stated.
The private submersible industry has faced significant setbacks following the Titan disaster, with many companies experiencing canceled orders and declining sales.
Lahey noted the adverse impact, saying, “This tragedy had a chilling effect on people’s interest in these vehicles.”
The pair hopes their successful expedition will renew interest in deep-sea exploration.
Connor and Lahey are no strangers to extreme oceanic ventures. In 2021, they explored the Challenger Deep and the Sirena Deep in the Mariana Trench, the deepest known points on Earth, reaching nearly 36,000 feet.
Triton Submarines, founded by Lahey in 2008, has yet to comment on the planned Titanic expedition.
Source-BBC
