Despite the devastating accident that claimed the lives of all on board OceanGate's Titan submersible, one individual continues to defy the dangers.
Larry Connor is a brave and daring person who fearlessly pursues deep-sea explorations to the Titanic site. Despite a tragic event, he remains undaunted and is preparing for an upcoming journey to the Titanic site.
Connor shared that he is well aware of the hazards that lie ahead. However, Connor strongly believes that the ocean, although formidable, holds incredible and life-altering possibilities when carefully considered.
To carry out his ambitious plan, Connor has teamed up with Patrick Lahey, the President and co-founder of Triton Submarines, a renowned company specializing in submersibles.
The specific details of their expedition, such as the scheduled date and the cost involved, remain undisclosed.
However, Connor and Lahey plan to undertake the journey in a two-person vessel called the Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer which is capable of reaching depths of 4,000 meters.
Remarkably, OceanGate's Titan sub lacked official safety certification, contributing to the company's criticism.
In contrast, Triton, the company partnering with Connor, emphasizes the safety of its submersibles and has a track record of successful dives to various oceanic locations, including the Mariana Trench, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Arctic Ocean.
He stated that certified submersibles are generally safe and that the tragedy shouldn't reflect poorly on the industry.
McCallum agreed, saying that it made the industry look good.
After the incident, Connor approached Lahey with the idea of building a submersible that could dive to Titanic-level depths repeatedly and safely.
Bentham-Wood believes that despite the lives lost, exploring the deep ocean in manned submersibles is crucial for understanding our planet's future.
She also emphasized the importance of using submersibles with full classification certification in deep ocean programs, considering it a prerequisite rather than an option.
On June 18, OceanGate's Titan submersible was launched in the Atlantic Ocean above the Titanic shipwreck site.
The five passengers, including tourists Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood, and Sulaiman Dawood, French Navy pilot Paul-Henry Nargeolet, and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, began their descent with Rush as the pilot.
However, at 9:45 am, the submersible lost contact with its mothership, the Polar Prince, while descending to the Titanic wreckage at a depth of 12,500 feet.
The debris of the submersible was recovered in the following days, and it was determined that it suffered a catastrophic implosion.
Unfortunately, all individuals on board the submersible lost their lives.
The US Coast Guard confirmed the deaths four days later, and an ongoing investigation is being conducted to determine the cause of the implosion.
Due to the complete implosion of the Titan, researchers may never be able to pinpoint the exact flaw that led to this tragic event.
