Following the tragic implosion of the Titan submersible in June 2023, which resulted in the deaths of all five people on board, a billionaire from Ohio has commissioned a new $20 million (P1.1 billion) submersible to explore the Titanic wreckage. Real estate investor Larry Connor, motivated by the disaster, sought out Triton Submarines to build a submersible that could safely and repeatedly reach the depths of the Titanic site.
Patrick Lahey, co-founder and CEO of Triton Submarines, revealed that Connor contacted him shortly after the Titan incident. Connor expressed his desire for a submersible that could demonstrate the safety and reliability of deep-sea exploration. “Patrick has been thinking about and designing this for over a decade,” Connor told The Wall Street Journal, adding that recent advancements in materials and technology made the project feasible.
The result is the Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer, a two-man submersible designed specifically for professional applications at depths of up to 4,000 meters. The Titanic wreckage lies at approximately 3,800 meters, well within the submersible’s capabilities. Connor emphasized the safety of the new submersible, stating, “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.”
Lahey acknowledged the impact of the Titan disaster, noting that it revived old fears about deep-sea diving. “It reignited old myths that only a crazy person would dive in one of these things,” he said. However, Lahey highlighted that Triton’s submarines are classed and certified for safety, unlike the unclassed and experimental Titan.
The Titan submersible, owned by OceanGate Expeditions, was intended for tourist visits to the Titanic wreckage and was designed to reach depths of 4,000 meters. However, it lost contact with its mother ship about an hour and a quarter into its descent on June 18, 2023. The vessel’s implosion during the descent was confirmed on June 22, ending a globally watched rescue mission. Wreckage and suspected human remains were recovered later.
The Titanic, which sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg, has long captivated nautical experts and underwater tourists. Its discovery in 1985 spurred interest in deep-sea exploration, despite the risks associated with such ventures.