Despite the tragic incident involving the ill-fated Titan submersible that resulted in the loss of all five passengers, OceanGate, the company responsible for operating the vehicle, continues to offer future expeditions to the Titanic shipwreck on its website.
Promoting trips scheduled for 2024, the company has identified two distinct weeks, namely June 12-20 and June 21-29, for these expeditions. The advertised package includes a submersible drive, private accommodations, expedition gear, all meals on board, and comprehensive training. The cost per person for this unique experience is listed at Rs 2.03 crore.
According to the listing on OceanGate’s website, the first day of the expedition to the Titanic wreck involves arriving in the coastal city of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, where participants meet their expedition crew and board the vessel. The description states, “Arrive in the seaside city of St. John’s to meet your expedition crew and board the vessel that will take you to the wreck of the RMS Titanic."
On the second day, participants will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the working vessel as they embark on a 400-nautical-mile journey across the North Atlantic toward the wreck site. Following the sailing, the subsequent four days will be dedicated to the mission itself, where participants will dive into the 12,500-foot-deep wreck aboard the Titan submersible - the parts of which along with “presumed human remains" were retrieved on Wednesday.
Interestingly, the website featured 77-year-old Paul-Henri Nargeolet from France among the “content experts" for the Titanic expedition. The description stated that he would be on board to provide insights into key features of the Titanic wreck and the marine life in the area. However, Nargeolet was among the five individuals who tragically lost their lives in the submarine’s ‘catastrophic implosion’ last week.
The other individuals who also lost their lives in the June 18 sub tragedy were OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, 61, British billionaire Hamish Harding, 58, prominent Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son, Sulaiman Dawood.
During the search for the missing submersible, OceanGate had advertised a job posting for a submersible pilot position on its website. However, in response to severe backlash, the company later decided to remove the job listing.
Source News 18
BDST: 1709 HRS, JUNE 30, 2023
MSK
