American billionaire believes he can visit the Titanic safely 1 year after submersible deaths
CTV
A billionaire American adventurer is planning to visit the Titanic wreckage in a submarine. Connor and his group are pledging that their vessel — they plan to use a Triton submarine — will be certified by a third-party group.
A billionaire American adventurer is planning to visit the Titanic wreckage in a submarine.
Larry Connor and Patrick Lahey of Triton Submarines are teaming up for the mission, with a launch target in 2026. Connor insists any journey will be a safe one — less than a year ago, five people died in a dramatic undersea implosion on the Oceangate submersible on its ill-fated voyage to the ship.
“I will not go any place or do any dives if I’m not 100 per cent convinced that the submersible is safe,” Connor told ABC’s Good Morning America.
“I am very confident, but the moment we don’t meet one standard the project is done. We will not compromise safety.”
Connor and his group are pledging that their vessel — they plan to use a Triton submarine — will be certified by a third-party group.
As for the Oceangate Titan submersible, which imploded on its way to the Titanic wreckage in June 2023, engineers had flagged concerns about the vessel in 2018. Bart Kemper, principal engineer with Kemper Engineering Services in Louisiana, described the development of the submersible as "experimental with no oversight" during an interview with the Canadian Press.
