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How much is the Titanic sub tour? Inside the exclusive OceanGate expedition and why it costs so much

Government agencies, us and canadian navies and commercial deep-sea firms have joined efforts to find the vessel belonging to tour firm oceangate.

A search is under way after a submersible that takes tourists to view the wreck of the Titanic went missing in the Atlantic Ocean .

Government agencies, US and Canadian navies and commercial deep-sea firms have joined efforts to find the vessel belonging to tour firm OceanGate.

The luxury tour company that promises unforgettable expeditions to see the wreckage of the Titanic has confirmed one of its submersibles has gone missing.

“We are exploring and mobilising all options to bring the crew back safely,” OceanGate said in a statement.

Who are Ocean Gate and how much does it cost?

OceanGate is a Washington-based company that has been offering trips to the wreck for several years , with six guests per voyage paying $250,000 (£195,000) for the privilege. This includes a guided tour around the famous ship 13,000ft beneath the sea, as well as luxury hospitality aboard an expedition vessel.

“You will arrive at depth, and after some navigating across the seafloor and debris field, finally see what you’ve been waiting for: the RMS Titanic ,” says the company in its brochure.

“The content expert on board will point out key features, be they of the wreck itself or the life that calls this corner of the ocean home. Enjoy hours of exploring the wreck and debris field before making the two-hour ascent to the surface.”

The eight-day 2023 expedition was listed as “underway” on a cached page of the OceanGate website, with the original no longer online. The company did not answer calls to its office.

It is extremely exclusive, with the company saying it offers “a select number of individuals to explore the vessel that was once the height of opulence, but whose journey would end tragically”. It says it is a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to travel in the world’s only carbon-fibre submersible capable of diving five people.

OceanGate founder, businessman Stockton Rush, founded the company in 2009 promising to make the depths of the oceans accessible.

The former aerospace engineer told CBS News last year that the Titanic trips represent “a new type of travel”, blending adventure, luxury and history.

What happened to the Titanic tourist sub after it goes missing in Atlantic Ocean

The famous wreck holds a powerful allure that draws passionate guests, he said.

“We have clients that are Titanic enthusiasts, which we refer to as Titaniacs,” Mr Rush added. “We’ve had people who have mortgaged their home to come and do the trip. And we have people who don’t think twice about a trip of this cost. We had one gentleman who had won the lottery.”

The expeditions also double as research opportunities for scientists, allowing them to study rare species in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.

Visitors are warned that the experience can be unpredictable, with weather conditions interfering with previous expeditions.

OceanGate is one of several companies offering trips to the Titanic , located around 370 miles off the Canadian coast, with demand said to be intense. Scientists had previously warned that the number of visits from filmmakers and explorers was damaging the wreck.

Tourist visits to the Titanic have been controversial, with some relatives of victims of the 1912 disaster saying they are disrespectful to the dead.

What happened?

The sub normally communicates with its pilot ship the Polar Prince every 15 minutes but contact was lost about an hour and 45 minutes into the dive, the US Coast Guard said.

“We are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to re-establish contact with the submersible,” OceanGate said in a statement.

“We are working toward the safe return of the crew members.”

Rear Adm John Mauger of the US Coast Guard told a press conference they are doing “everything” they can to find the submersible.

“Right now, our focus is getting on as much capability into the area as we can,” he said on Monday, adding: “We anticipate that there’s somewhere between 70 to the full 96 hours at this point.

“It is a remote area and a challenge, but we are deploying all available assets.”

The US Coast Guard said the Canadian research vessel Polar Prince and 106 Rescue wing will continue to conduct surface searches while the US Coast Guard sent two C-130 flights to search for the missing submersible.

Who was on board the sub?

Five people were onboard the vessel, including one pilot and two “mission specialists”.

Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood have been named as two of the other people on the submersible in a family statement.

“We are very grateful for the concern being shown by our colleagues and friends and would like to request everyone to pray for their safety,” the statement said.

Among the crew is British businessman and explorer Hamish Harding , chairman of private plane firm Action Aviation.

In a subsequently deleted Facebook post, Mr Harding’s stepson wrote that he had “gone missing on a submarine” and asked for “thoughts and prayers”.

The last pictures from before the dive were shared on Action Aviation’s Instagram account, depicting the submersible setting off into the depths.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cto-21dMXpx/?hl=en

Mark Butler, managing director of Action Aviation, said: “There is still plenty of time to facilitate a rescue mission, there is equipment on board for survival in this event. We’re all hoping and praying he comes back safe and sound.”

Mr Harding holds three Guinness World Records, including the longest duration at full ocean depth by a crewed vessel when in March 2021, he and ocean explorer Victor Vescovo dived to the lowest depth of the Mariana Trench. In June 2022, he went into space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.

His cousin, Kathleen Cosnett, told The Daily Telegraph she saw Mr Harding as “daring” and “inquisitive”, and that she was “devastated” to learn he was missing.

On social media at the weekend, he said he was “proud to finally announce” he would be aboard the mission to the wreck of the Titanic , the luxury ocean liner which hit an iceberg and sank in 1912, killing more than 1,500 people.

The Explorer’s Club, of which Mr Harding is a founding member of, shared the news of his disappearance on Instagram with club president Richard Garriot saying: “When I saw Hamish last week… his excitement about this expedition was palpable,” he said.

“I know he was looking forward to conducting research at the site. We all join in the fervent hope that the submersible is located as quickly as possible and the crew is safe.”

Where is the wreckage of the Titanic?

The shipwreck of the Titanic is 3,800 metres down on the bed of the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 600km (370 miles) off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

The passenger liner hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in 1912, with more than 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers and crew onboard dying.

The wreckage was discovered in 1985.

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Titan submersible's scientific director says the sub malfunctioned just prior to the Titanic dive

Steven ross told the board about a platform issue the experimental submersible experienced in june 2023, just days before it imploded on its way to the titanic site, by patrick whittle | the associated press • published september 19, 2024 • updated 6 hours ago.

The scientific director for the company that owned the Titan submersible that imploded last year while on its way to the Titanic wreckage testified Thursday that the sub had malfunctioned just prior to the fatal dive .

Appearing before a U.S. Coast Guard panel , Steven Ross told the board about a platform issue the experimental submersible experienced in June 2023, just days before it imploded on its way to the Titanic site. The malfunction caused passengers onboard the submersible to “tumble about,” and it took an hour to get them out of the water.

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The submersible pilot, OceanGate co-founder Stockton Rush, crashed into bulkheading during the malfunction, Ross said.

“One passenger was hanging upside down. The other two managed to wedge themselves into the bow end cap,” Ross said, adding that he did not know if an assessment of the Titan hull was performed after the incident.

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A key employee says the Titan sub tragedy could have been prevented

‘All good here' was 1 of the final texts sent from the doomed Titan submersible

Earlier Thursday, Renata Rojas, a mission specialist for the company, told the Coast Guard the firm was staffed by competent people who wanted to “make dreams come true.”

An investigatory panel had previously listened to two days of testimony that raised questions about the company's operations before the doomed mission . Rush was among five people who died when the submersible imploded en route to the site of the Titanic wreck in June 2023.

Rojas' testimony struck a different tone than some of the earlier witnesses, who described the company as troubled from the top down and focused more on profit than science or safety.

“I was learning a lot and working with amazing people,” Rojas said. “Some of those people are very hardworking individuals that were just trying to make dreams come true.”

Rojas also said she felt the company was sufficiently transparent during the run-up to the Titanic dive. Her testimony was emotional at times, with the Coast Guard panel proposing a brief break at one point so she could collect herself.

Rojas is a member of the Explorers Club, which lost members Hamish Harding and Paul-Henri Nargeolet in the Titan implosion. The club described Rush as “a friend of The Explorers Club” after the implosion.

“I knew what I was doing was very risky. I never at any point felt unsafe by the operation,” Rojas said in testimony Thursday.

Earlier this month, the Coast Guard opened a public hearing that is part of a high-level investigation into the cause of the implosion. The public hearing began on Sept. 16 and some of the testimony has focused on problems the company had prior to the fatal 2023 dive.

Investigators also released underwater footage of the submersible wreck. The footage shows the submersible's tail cone and other debris on the ocean floor.

During the hearing, former OceanGate operations director David Lochridge said Tuesday he frequently clashed with Rush and felt the company was committed only to making money.

“The whole idea behind the company was to make money,” Lochridge testified. “There was very little in the way of science.”

Lochridge and other witnesses have painted a picture of a company led by people who were impatient to get the unconventionally designed craft into the water. The deadly accident set off a worldwide debate about the future of private undersea exploration.

Coast Guard officials noted at the start of the hearing that the submersible had not been independently reviewed, as is standard practice. That and Titan’s unusual design subjected it to scrutiny in the undersea exploration community.

OceanGate, based in Washington state, suspended its operations after the implosion . The company has no full-time employees currently, but has been represented by an attorney during the hearing.

During the submersible’s final dive on June 18, 2023, the crew lost contact after an exchange of texts about the Titan’s depth and weight as it descended. The support ship Polar Prince then sent repeated messages asking if the Titan could still see the ship on its onboard display.

One of the last messages from Titan’s crew to Polar Prince before the submersible imploded stated, “all good here,” according to a visual recreation presented earlier in the hearing.

When the submersible was reported missing, rescuers rushed ships, planes and other equipment to an area about 435 miles south of St. John’s, Newfoundland. Four days later, wreckage of the Titan was found on the ocean floor about 330 yards off the bow of the Titanic, Coast Guard officials said.

No one on board survived. Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman were the other two people killed in the implosion.

OceanGate said it has been fully cooperating with the Coast Guard and NTSB investigations since they began. The Titan had been making voyages to the Titanic wreckage site going back to 2021.

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Titan submersible’s scientific director says the sub malfunctioned just prior to the Titanic dive

This June 2023 United States Coast Guard still frame from video provided by Pelagic Research Services, shows remains of the Titan submersible, center, on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Coast Guard Video courtesy Pelagic Research Services via AP)

The scientific director for the company that owned the Titan submersible that imploded last year while on its way to the Titanic wreckage testified Thursday that the sub had malfunctioned just prior to the fatal dive.

Appearing before a U.S. Coast Guard panel, Steven Ross told the board about a platform issue the experimental submersible experienced in June 2023, just days before it imploded on its way to the Titanic site. The malfunction caused passengers onboard the submersible to “tumble about,” and it took an hour to get them out of the water.

The submersible pilot, OceanGate co-founder Stockton Rush, crashed into bulkheading during the malfunction, Ross said. No one was injured in the incident, Ross said, though he described it as uncomfortable.

“One passenger was hanging upside down. The other two managed to wedge themselves into the bow end cap,” Ross said, adding that he did not know if a safety assessment of the Titan or an inspection of its hull was performed after the incident.

An investigatory panel has listened to three days of testimony that raised questions about the company’s operations before the doomed mission. Rush was among five people who died when the submersible imploded en route to the site of the Titanic wreck in June 2023.

Earlier Thursday, Renata Rojas, a mission specialist for the company, told the Coast Guard the firm was staffed by competent people who wanted to “make dreams come true.” Rojas’ testimony struck a different tone than some of the earlier witnesses, who described the company as troubled from the top down and focused more on profit than science or safety.

“I was learning a lot and working with amazing people,” Rojas said. “Some of those people are very hardworking individuals that were just trying to make dreams come true.”

Rojas also said she felt the company was sufficiently transparent during the run-up to the Titanic dive. Her testimony was emotional at times, with the Coast Guard panel proposing a brief break at one point so she could collect herself.

Rojas is a member of the Explorers Club, which lost members Hamish Harding and Paul-Henri Nargeolet in the Titan implosion. The club described Rush as “a friend of The Explorers Club” after the implosion.

“I knew what I was doing was very risky. I never at any point felt unsafe by the operation,” Rojas said in testimony Thursday.

Earlier this month, the Coast Guard opened a public hearing that is part of a high-level investigation into the cause of the implosion. The public hearing began Sept. 16 and some of the testimony has focused on problems the company had prior to the fatal 2023 dive.

Investigators also released underwater footage of the submersible wreck. The footage shows the submersible’s tail cone and other debris on the ocean floor.

During the hearing, former OceanGate operations director David Lochridge said Tuesday he frequently clashed with Rush and felt the company was committed only to making money.

“The whole idea behind the company was to make money,” Lochridge testified. “There was very little in the way of science.”

The hearing is expected to run through Friday with more witnesses still to come and resume next week.

Lochridge and other witnesses have painted a picture of a company led by people who were impatient to get the unconventionally designed craft into the water. The deadly accident set off a worldwide debate about the future of private undersea exploration.

Coast Guard officials noted at the start of the hearing that the submersible had not been independently reviewed, as is standard practice. That and Titan’s unusual design subjected it to scrutiny in the undersea exploration community.

OceanGate, based in Washington state, suspended its operations after the implosion. The company has no full-time employees currently, but has been represented by an attorney during the hearing.

During the submersible’s final dive on June 18, 2023, the crew lost contact after an exchange of texts about the Titan’s depth and weight as it descended. The support ship Polar Prince then sent repeated messages asking if the Titan could still see the ship on its onboard display.

One of the last messages from Titan’s crew to Polar Prince before the submersible imploded stated, “all good here,” according to a visual recreation presented earlier in the hearing.

When the submersible was reported missing, rescuers rushed ships, planes and other equipment to an area about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland. Four days later, wreckage of the Titan was found on the ocean floor about 330 yards (300 meters) off the bow of the Titanic, Coast Guard officials said.

No one on board survived. Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman were the other two people killed in the implosion.

OceanGate said it has been fully cooperating with the Coast Guard and NTSB investigations since they began. The Titan had been making voyages to the Titanic wreckage site going back to 2021.

previous coverage

• The Coast Guard will hear from former OceanGate employees about the Titan implosion
• Ex-employees of Titanic submersible’s owner to testify before Coast Guard panel
• Coast Guard recovers debris, possible human remains from sub that imploded during Titanic trip

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Titanic submarine tour company OceanGate Expeditions: What to know

Voyage is oceangate's fifth expedition to the wreck of the titanic this year.

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A search and rescue mission is underway for a submersible that was reported missing in the Atlantic Ocean while taking tourists to the submerged wreck of the Titanic on Monday.

The sub belongs to OceanGate Expeditions, a company that provides crewed submersible services for exploration, industry and research purposes. The U.S. Coast Guard is participating in the search and has reported that five people are aboard the vessel, including one crew member and four "mission specialists." An air search is underway and several ships are heading to the area to assist. 

OceanGate’s expeditions to the Titanic depart from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to the wreck of the Titanic about 370 miles away. The trips take eight days and each dive to the wreck and ascent to the surface reportedly takes roughly eight hours. Passengers pay about $250,000 to participate in the trip, and the latest expedition to the Titanic is reportedly OceanGate’s fifth of the year.

OceanGate, which was founded in 2009 by Stockton Rush, has several custom-built submersibles including Titan, which was designed to reach depths of 13,123 feet necessary to visit the wreck of the Titanic, which lies at a depth of about 12,500 feet. The Titan utilizes SpaceX's Starlink satellite communications system when at sea.

SUBMARINE USED FOR TOURIST VISITS TO TITANIC WRECKAGE GOES MISSING IN THE ATLANTIC

A search is underway for a submersible from OceanGate Expeditions on a tourist trip to the wreck of the Titanic was reported missing after it lost contact with the research vessel it was launched from. (Image: © NOAA/Institute for Exploration/University of Rhode Island / Fox News)

The submersible is designed to surface automatically if it encounters technical problems. A Coast Guard C-130 aircraft is searching for the sub on the surface, while a P-8 Poseidon has also been dispatched from Rescue Coordination Center Halifax. The Poseidon is an aircraft that specializes in maritime patrol operations and has underwater detection capabilities it can utilize by dropping sonobuoys in a search area.

OceanGate’s website says that the Titan has life support capabilities sufficient to sustain its five-person crew for 96 hours. According to the Coast Guard, the submersible departed the Canadian research vessel Polar Prince on Sunday morning for its trip to the Titanic, and the ship lost contact with the sub after about an hour and 45 minutes. That would leave rescuers with about 72 hours left to find the sub according to reports, unless it suffered a catastrophic failure and failed to surface.

"We are exploring and mobilizing all options to bring the crew back safely," OceanGate said in a statement. "Our entire focus is on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families. We are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to reestablish contact with the submersible. We are working toward the safe return of the crewmembers."

26-YEAR-OLD TITANIC MYSTERY FINALLY SOLVED BY DIVERS

Aside from its trips to the Titanic, OceanGate’s website lists several expeditions that its submersibles have conducted in recent years.

It lists expeditions in spring 2022 and fall 2023 for its "Four Subs Project" – a mission to document the wrecks of four historic submarines in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Rhode Island, including one German U-boat from World War II .

The Titanic sank after striking an iceberg in the Atlantic north of Newfoundland in April 1912. Between 1,491 and 1,513 persons died during the wreck. The wreck is lying 4000 meters.  (Getty Images / Getty Images)

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OceanGate also lists expeditions to Hudson Canyon off the coast of New York City that interested tourists may inquire about.

In years past, OceanGate expeditions have occurred in the Salish Sea near Friday Harbor, Washington; the wreck of the Andrea Doria near Nantucket, Massachusetts ; a wrecked steamboat in Lake Laberge in the Yukon Territory, Canada; a CIA diver lockout chamber off Catalina Island, California; and more.

FOX Business’ Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

5 people perished on OceanGate's doomed Titan sub. Will we soon know why?

( This story was updated to add new information. )

The former scientific director of the ill-fated Titan submersible and a Mexican diver whose lifelong dream was realized during a previous trip to the Titanic will testify Thursday when hearings resume into the implosion that captivated the world for four days before the Titan's tragic fate was revealed.

The  Titanic-visiting vehicle  imploded 2 miles below sea level on June 18, 2023. Its wreckage was found on the ocean floor about 330 yards off the bow of the Titanic. All five people on board were killed: OceanGate Expeditions founder Stockton Rush, who was piloting the 22-foot submersible, a British billionaire, a French explorer and a Pakistani-born businessman and his son.

On Monday, the Coast Guard began two weeks of public hearings in North Charleston, South Carolina, aimed at finding out what went wrong.

Titan sub's haunting last message: 'All good here'

Developments:

◾ The Coast Guard revealed at the hearing one of the final, haunting messages from the crew: "All good here."

◾ In a statement this week Jane Shvets, counsel for OceanGate, expressed "deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who died" and hopes that the hearing "will help shed light on the cause of the tragedy."

◾ No testimony was scheduled for Wednesday. The hearings reconvene Thursday and are  being broadcast live on the U.S. Coast Guard channel .

Former OceanGate employee had no faith in Titan

Steven Ross, OceanGate's former scientific director, will be the next in a series of former employees testifying at the hearing. Among those to testify so far was David Lochridge, OceanGate’s former operations director, who claimed his concerns about the safety of Titan were ignored by officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Lochridge testified he finally dropped the complaint after 10 months when it had drawn no OSHA investigation. 

OceanGate’s former engineering director, Tony Nissen, testified Rush pushed hard on costs and schedules and was difficult to work with. Nissen described post-dive hull crack problems that he observed in the Titan serial 1 hull, a novel carbon fiber design, in 2018 and 2019. Nissen claimed he was fired in 2019 for voicing safety concerns.

In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, OceanGate said Nissen's testimony pertained to a prototype hull that was never used on Titanic expeditions and was not used after 2019.  After Nissen left the company in 2019, the company said it manufactured a new carbon fiber hull which was the one used on the Titanic expeditions.

In later testimony, Tym Catterson, a former OceanGate contractor, said he believes it wasn't the carbon fiber, but the glue that failed − "cyclic fatigue of the glue, every time they do a dive the hull would collapse a little in the center. Not a lot, not enough that you would see it with your eye."

Rush had declined to seek certification for Titan with any international maritime groups, saying its innovative design was “outside of an already accepted system.” He also said OceanGate could not innovate and make quick changes if it had to deal with the multiyear approval cycles.

Catastrophic Titan sub disaster: A year later the search for answers continues.

Lifelong ambition realized for Renata Rojas

Bonnie Carl, OceanGate’s former human resources and finance director, told the hearing panel that Lochridge had advised a potential customer, Renata Rojas, that Titan was not safe before her 2022 trip. The Mexican diver, who is scheduled to testify Thursday, had dreamed of visiting the Titanic wreck as a child. She has said it took her 30 years to save up the $250,000 ticket, but her dream was realized aboard Titan in 2022.

"I'm not a millionaire," she told the BBC then. "I made a lot of sacrifices in my life to be able to get to Titanic. I don't have a car, I didn't get married yet, I don't have children. And all those decisions were because I wanted to go to Titanic."

She said she wept when the Titanic came into view. She was amazed at how close to the wreckage the sub got: "Amazing to realize that you're at the Titanic. It's no longer a myth for me. It's reality, it's right there."

What happened to the company that owned Titan?

Two weeks  after the incident , OceanGate said on its  website  it had  suspended  "all exploration and commercial operations." Its headquarters in Everett, Washington, was shuttered. Founded in 2008, its business license expired on June 7, according to Washington Department of Revenue  records . The nonprofit research wing of the company, called OceanGate Foundation, was launched in 2010 but also closed in 2023, according to Washington Department of Revenue  records .

OceanGate Inc. also operated a subsidiary, OceanGate Expeditions, out of the same office. According to Washington records, it  closed  on March 31, 2021.

OceanGate is being represented at the hearing by Jane Shvets and Adrianna Finger of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP.

What happened to the Titan?

The Titan's  trip , expected to take eight hours, began at 8 a.m. on June 18, 2023, about 435 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. An hour and 45 minutes later, the submersible's support ship lost contact with the Titan. At 3 p.m., the Titan failed to surface, and the  frantic search  and rescue operation that ensued  transfixed the world  for four days.

On board were Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate Inc., the company that built the vessel; Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 73, a French deep-sea explorer; Hamish Harding, 58, a British pilot and adventurer; Shahzada Dawood, 48, a Pakistani-British businessman and his 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood.

It was not until 11:48 a.m. on June 22 that the U.S.  Coast Guard announced the discovery of a debris field .  The vessel likely suffered a "catastrophic implosion" and OceanGate announced all occupants of the Titan had been lost.

Who is investigating the Titan implosion?

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the French Marine Casualty Investigation Authority are working with the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board to conduct " parallel safety investigations " on the incident.

French authorities are involved because one of the dead was Titanic expert Nargeolet, a French citizen. Canadian authorities are involved because the Titan submersible was transported to the dive site aboard the Canadian-flagged support vessel Polar Prince, which launched from Newfoundland.

The U.S. Coast Guard hearings that began Monday are looking into what was known about the safety and strength of the Titan vessel.

The Titanic also brought tragedy

The Titanic captured the nation's imagination in 1912, the largest and most well-appointed cruise ship of its time. But the ship hit an iceberg on April 15 of that year and quickly sank, killing more than 1,500. About 700 passengers were rescued. The wreck was discovered on Sept. 1, 1985, about 400 miles from the coast of Newfoundland.

Hundreds of books have been written about the ship. James Cameron's film "Titanic" was released in 1997 and is among the highest-grossing films of all time.

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Join us on a once-in-a-lifetime expedition to experience Titanic, the most luxurious ship to ever set sail.

Witness the ship’s construction, walk her glorious halls, come face-to-face with the Iceberg, and experience its dramatic final moments in our immersive galleries.

Titanic: An Immersive Voyage is a powerful emotional retelling of the Titanic story, and includes an unprecedented Virtual Reality tour of the wreck site more than 2.5 miles beneath the sea. *included in VIP tickets.

Featuring more than 300 artifacts, dramatic room re-creations, never-before-seen 3D views, video animations, and cutting-edge technology, this immersive experience tells the story of the RMS Titanic like never before.

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The Titanic brought them together, and a tiny vessel could doom them

It was early 2019, and aerospace engineer Stockton Rush was racing against the clock. The wreckage of the Titanic was slowly decaying — ravaged by metal-eating bacteria , researchers found — and Rush felt there was suddenly a “pressing need to document the world’s most famous shipwreck, combined with a huge demand of people who wanted to go see it.”

“It made perfect sense,” Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, told the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. “We just had to make the submersible to get there.”

The carbon-fiber submersible his team built, known as the Titan, differentiated itself from similar vessels in part because it had room for at least four “affluent travelers,” including an expert. “If you’re going to take somebody to go see the Titanic,” he said, “it’s going to be the most life-changing experience for them. They won’t want to do it alone.”

Follow live updates on the missing Titanic submersible here

Four years later, Rush and four other men, united by their shared zeal for adventure and the financial resources to chase after it, converged on St. John’s, Newfoundland, for the start of their voyage to survey the remnants of a luxury cruise liner that sank 111 years ago. It was the OceanGate submersible's third trip to the remains of the Titanic, with a fare of $250,000 per traveler.

The five-person crew started a dive Sunday morning from the Polar Prince, a Canadian research vessel. The Polar Prince lost contact with the Titan an hour and 45 minutes later.

The passengers are now at the center of a much higher-stakes race against the clock — a frantic international search-and-rescue effort that must succeed before the 22-foot vessel runs out of oxygen Thursday morning.

The passengers are Rush, who lives in Seattle and served as the vessel’s pilot; Hamish Harding, a British tycoon who lives in the United Arab Emirates; Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, scions of a Pakistani business dynasty; and the French mariner and Titanic expert Paul Henry “P.H.” Nargeolet, who has been nicknamed “Mr. Titanic.” 

The men are likely bound together forever, no matter what happens next.

‘ You are not coming back’

Harding, the founder of a UAE-based firm called Action Aviation and a self-described “explorer and adventurer,” appeared to have been driven by a hunger to see the world in all its extremes. (Harding’s family, as well as the immediate families of the other passengers, declined interview requests this week.)

He was a passenger last year on the fifth human spaceflight of Blue Origin, the private space company founded by Amazon mogul Jeff Bezos. In the dark expanse of space, he later told an interviewer , he got an opportunity to “see the world from a different perspective.”

The year before, Harding ventured down to the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific Ocean, 35,000 feet under the sea. He and an American explorer, Victor Vescovo, broke a Guinness World Record for the “longest time spent traversing the deepest part of the ocean on a single dive,” at 4 hours 15 minutes, according to a citation.

Harding was looking for new species and evidence of human pollution, according to news reports from the time. “I want this expedition to contribute to our shared knowledge and understanding of planet Earth,” he told the Khaleej Times , an English-language newspaper published in Dubai. 

But he was clear-eyed about the perils of his 7-mile journey to the furthest depths of the ocean, known as Challenger Deep. “If something goes wrong,” he told the Indian magazine The Week , “you are not coming back.”

The former NASA astronaut Terry Virts is one of Harding’s friends and texted with him shortly before he left on his trip. Harding did not seem nervous about the expedition, Virts recalled.

“If you’re going down to the Titanic, there’s risks,” Virts told NBC News’ Tom Costello. “I wouldn’t call him worried. I would say he was aware.”

Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman, a university student, happened to board the Titan over a weekend when parts of the world celebrated Father’s Day. In an undated photo shared with NBC News, the father and son can be seen smiling widely as the sun sets in the background.

The elder Dawood hails from one of Pakistan’s wealthiest families. The family’s namesake business empire, Dawood Hercules Corp., has investments in agriculture, the health sector and other industries. Shahzada is the vice chairman of the Karachi-based Engro Corporation.

Sikander Hazir, a Dawood family spokesman, said in a statement Tuesday that Shahzada and his wife, Christine, have two children as well as a dog named Stig. Shahzada serves as an adviser to Prince’s Trust International, a charitable organization founded by King Charles III. (Shahzada’s father, Hussain, was one of the trust’s founding patrons.)

“Prince’s Trust International has a longstanding relationship with Shahzada Dawood and his family,” Will Straw, the organization’s CEO, said in a statement. “We are shocked by this awful news, praying for a rescue and sending our thoughts to his family during this deeply challenging time.”

In a phone interview Wednesday, a close friend of Shahzada who has known him since high school described him as a reserved and introverted man who enjoyed taking ambitious excursions, including a 2018 trip to Antarctica and a journey through Africa’s Kalahari Desert in December.

Muhammad Hashim, 48, a business owner who lives in Lahore, said he last spoke to Shahzada on Thursday. Dawood was in Ontario, where he was preparing to board a flight to Newfoundland. Hashim was not aware that his son was there, too.

“He wasn’t nervous at all,” Hashim said of the elder Dawood.

Shahzada’s resume hints at an interest in reaching the unknown. He sits on the board of trustees for the California-based SETI Institute, an organization that searches for signs of extraterrestrials and intelligent life in the universe. He also has a keen interest in Titanic lore and frequently visits museum exhibitions featuring artifacts from the wreckage, according to Hashim.

Shahzada’s older sister , Azmeh, recalled that Shahzada was “absolutely obsessed” with the Titanic from a young age. When they were kids in Pakistan, the Dawood siblings would constantly watch the 1958 film “A Night to Remember,” a British drama about the sinking of the cruise liner.

She recounted that when Shahzada met her husband, he asked if they could sit down and watch a four-hour documentary about the Titanic.

Shahzada’s longtime friend is trying to remain hopeful. “I hope there’s a happy outcome,” Hashim said, “but I have no idea what to say at the moment. We are keeping our fingers crossed, and that’s it.”

‘We didn’t know what we would discover’

No one aboard the OceanGate submersible knows more about the Titanic than Paul Henry Nargeolet, a former French Navy officer and maritime expert commonly identified by the initials “P.H.” He has spent so much time surveying what remains of the world-famous ship that some refer to him by a grand nickname: “Mr. Titanic.”

Nargeolet directs underwater research for E/M Group and RMC Titanic Inc., a U.S. firm that owns the salvage rights to the wreckage and brings treasures from the doomed cruise liner to museum exhibitions around the world. He has completed 37 dives to the Titanic and overseen the recovery of some 5,000 artifacts, according to the company.

He is also no stranger to OceanGate’s Titan vessel. Nargeolet and an Irish oil executive named Oisín Fanning took the Titan more than 9,000 feet under the sea in 2022, discovering an “extraordinarily biodiverse abyssal ecosystem on a previously unknown basalt formation near the Titanic,” according to a cached version of the company site .

“We didn’t know what we would discover,” Nargeolet was quoted as saying. “On the sonar, this could have been any number of things, including the potential of it being another shipwreck. I’ve been seeking the chance to explore this large object that appeared on sonar so long ago,” he said. 

“It was amazing to explore this area and find this fascinating volcanic formation teeming with so much life,” Nargeolet added.

The coral-and sponge-covered formation was “provisionally dubbed” the Nargeolet-Fanning Ridge, according to OceanGate’s site.

In an interview with NBC News, David Gallo, a senior adviser at RMS Titanic, described Nargeolet as his “closest friend and colleague,” “the nicest person you ever want to meet” and a model of “calm, competent” wisdom — whether “he’s on the deck of a ship in the middle of a squall” or “sitting in a Parisian cafe.”

Nargeolet’s past statements suggest he would have agreed with Rush’s assessment that expeditions to the Titanic wreckage were urgent, a matter of historical import.

“In 20 years, most of the deck will be collapsed,” Nargeolet told The Associated Press in 2010. “We’ll still have part of the hull, and the heavy engines will be there for 100 years or more … Maybe some beams will still be there, but everything else will be badly decayed.”

But like Harding, Nargeolet was keenly aware of the risks inherent in their undertaking. In the fall of 2009, he testified at a U.S. District Court hearing in Norfolk, Virginia, that revolved around legal guarantees for Titanic artifacts.

Nargeolet spoke about “the extraordinary expense and risks of deep-sea exploration,” an Associated Press reporter wrote. Nargeolet described the deep-sea environment in stark terms: 150-foot-high icebergs that threatened ships, the “harrowing, claustrophobic voyages 12,000-feet down to the wreck through 33-degree Atlantic waters.”

Aaron Newman — a former passenger on the Titan and an investor in OceanGate who knows Rush, Harding and Nargeolet — told NBC’s “TODAY” show Wednesday morning that he chafed at the idea of calling the three men “tourists.” They were seasoned explorers, not “amateurs.”

“These are people that have lived on the edge for a long time,” Newman said.

Daniel Arkin is a national reporter at NBC News.

Museums, Galleries & Exhibitions

Titanic: the exhibition.

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⭐ Titanic: The Exhibition is making its way to Westfield Old Orchard in Chicago after a sold-out run in Macau, Moscow, Riga Latvia, Perth, Sydney, and LA. It brings with it an interactive experience that allows you to step inside recreations of the Titanic’s interior. Immerse yourself in the stories of its passengers, see hundreds of artifacts, and discover the tale of the design, creation, launch, maiden voyage, and tragedy of the historic ship.🚨 Now open on President’s Day due to popular demand. Tickets Selling Fast! 🚨 🎁 How about getting tickets to Titanic: The Exhibition for your loved ones with our gift card? Check it out here 🎁⚓️ All aboard! The iconic Titanic Exhibition has arrived in Chicago. Hurry, tickets are selling fast! 🚢 Tickets for Titanic: The Exhibition in Chicago🎫 Standard Admission – includes entry to the experience on your selected date and time

Adult (13+) Child (4–12) Senior (65+), Student, or Military – valid ID required Group Bundle (min. 8 tickets) – for schools and groups of 50+ people, please click here

🎫 Flex Admission – includes entry to the experience at any time on your selected date🎫 Gold Admission – includes fast-track entry** to the exhibition and a souvenir digital photograph***🎫 Platinum Admission – includes fast-track entry** to the exhibition, a souvenir digital photograph***, the exhibition’s catalog, and entry to the VR experience **Child ticket holders accompanying Gold/Platinum Adult ticket holders will also benefit from fast-track entry***Gold/Platinum ticket holders get a digital photo with their tickets and a 50% discount at payout if they choose to take a physical copy home with them!👑 Downton Abbey – Flex ticket (special offer, not available on-site) – While exploring the Titanic experience, make the most of your visit by immersing yourself in the Downton Abbey exhibition conveniently located at the same venue. This ticket grants you access to the Downton Abbey experience on any day and at any time (attendance required by March 31st, 2024). Highlights🛳️ Receive your very own boarding pass corresponding to a real passenger on the ship✨ Walk through incredibly detailed recreations of the ship’s dock, staircase, and interior, complete with a starry night sky scene🎩 See over 300 artifacts from the Titanic and its sister ships’ survivors, brought with them on their journey🌊 Explore the immersive Discovery Gallery with its raised glass floor and see what discovery teams saw during dives to Titanic’s wreck site🎬 Enjoy a VR experience providing an in-depth look at the most recent forensic research related to the ship’s downfall General Info📅 Dates and times: select your date & time directly in the ticket selector⏳ Duration: 1 hour📍 Location: 4963 Old Orchard Shopping Center, Skokie, IL 60077🚗 Ample parking is available on the west side of Westfield Old Orchard, located off Golf Road or Old Orchard Road. Additional parking is available in multiple parking decks👤 Age requirement: all ages are welcome. Children under 4 enter free of charge♿ Accessibility: the venue is wheelchair accessible❓ Please consult the FAQs of this experience here DescriptionTitanic The Exhibition is an interactive experience that tells the tale of the design, creation, launch, maiden voyage, and tragedy of the largest and most luxurious ship in the world at the time. Step inside vast, beautiful recreations of the ship’s interior, hear music from the era, and immerse yourself in the story of the real passenger whose boarding pass you hold. You’ll find relics that survived the sinking of the Titanic and items from her sister ships; then prepare to walk above a sea floor complete with sand and broken artifacts at the Discovery Gallery. Ready to embark on this awe-inspiring journey into history? Get your tickets for Titanic The Exhibition in Chicago!👑 Consider adding a discounted ticket to Downton Abbey: The Exhibition conveniently located at the same venue. Experience the history, the fashion, the house at the exhibition based on the beloved television show and feature films.

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TITANIC : THE EXHIBITION

Are you ready to embark on the awe-inspiring journey of the Titanic? Immerse yourself in the stories of its passengers, see hundreds of artifacts, and discover the tale of the design, creation, launch, maiden voyage, and tragedy of the historic ship.

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After a remarkable 6-month run, TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition has concluded its time at COSI. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our guests, COSI members, partners, donors, and community members who joined us during this amazing journey through history. Our team was honored to bring this world-class exhibit back to our city for the first time in a decade. The experience has been truly unforgettable, and we are grateful for the overwhelming support and enthusiasm from everyone who participated. As we bid farewell to TITANIC, we look forward to welcoming you back to COSI when we reopen our doors on September 21. Thank you for being part of this historic exhibition, and we can't wait to see you again soon at COSI!

Your Ticket Aboard Titanic Awaits.

Experience the wonder and tragedy of the world's most famous ocean-liner, Titanic . Viewed by more than 30 million people worldwide, this exhibition is one of the highest attended in history. With more than 200 authentic artifacts recovered from the wreck site of Titanic on display with full-scale room recreations, TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition is an educational and intriguing experience for all ages.

Experience the wonder and tragedy of the world's most famous ocean-liner, Titanic . Viewed by more than 30 million people worldwide, this Exhibition is one of the highest attended in history. With more than 200 authentic artifacts recovered from the wreck site of Titanic on display with full-scale room recreations, TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition is an educational and intriguing experience for all ages.

TITANIC: The-->

Ticket bundles include both general admission--> Ticket--> .

RMS Titanic Voyage Timeline Scroll >

RMS Titanic Voyage Timeline

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March 31, 1909

Construction on Titanic begins in Belfast, Ireland, modern day Northern Ireland.

March 31, 1912

Titanic finishes construction at Harland & Wolff Shipyard as the Ship awaits sea trials.

April 10, 1912

12:00 (noon) – Titanic begins its maiden voyage from Southampton, England.

6:35 p.m. – Arrives at Cherbourg, France 8:10 p.m. – Sails from Cherbourg to Queenstown, Ireland

April 11, 1912

11:30 a.m. - Titanic drops anchor at its final port of call at Queenstown, Ireland (modern Cobh) 1:30 p.m. – Titanic departs Queenstown.

April 14, 1912

11:40 p.m. – Titanic strikes iceberg at an estimated speed of 20.5-22.5 knots (24-26 mph).

April 15, 1912

12:40 a.m. – First lifeboat lowered 2:20 a.m. – Titanic slips beneath the waters of the North Atlantic 4:10 a.m. – First lifeboat of Titanic survivors rescued by Carpathia

September 1, 1985

Titanic shipwreck is discovered. Photo captured in 2004 by NOAA/IFE/URI.

RMS Titanic Passengers & Crew

Learn about the real captivating stories of Titanic ’s passengers and crew told through their genuine personal items, preserved for over a century. Some of Titanic ’s most notable passengers and crew are highlighted below.

Dorothy Gibson

Titanic drew people from all walks of life, including silent film star Dorothy Gibson who, at the time, was one of the highest paid actresses in the world. Immediately following the tragedy, Dorothy Gibson starred as herself in the film ‘Saved from the Titanic ’ which was released barely a month after the sinking.

Frederick Fleet, Crew: Lookout

By 1912, Fleet had eight years of experience at sea. Fleet and Reginald Lee were on lookout duty on Titanic ’s 10 p.m. to midnight watch on April 14, 1912. Fleet received repeated instructions to keep very alert for icebergs and eventually sounded the iceberg warning before impact. He was able to assist in loading and join Lifeboat 6 and in time, testified at both the American and British inquiries.

Captain Smith:

From his humble origins as a potter’s son, Edward John (EJ) Smith, 62, had steadily climbed the ranks within White Star Line to become honorary Commodore of the White Star Fleet in 1904. Captain Smith was planning to retire in 1911, but White Star Line convinced him to stay to oversee Titanic ’s first transatlantic crossing.

Major Archibald Butt:

Major Archibald Butt was a prominent American military officer and diplomate who served as a trusted aide to two U.S. presidents, Theodore Roosevelt, and William Howard Taft. Despite the chaos and danger, Major Butt worked tirelessly to help organize the evacuation of passengers and crew.

Joseph Bruce Ismay:

J. Bruce became head of White Star following his father’s death in 1899, and the company flourished under his directorship. Ismay entered into an agreement with the shipbuilding firm Harland & Wolff, to design three of the largest and most luxurious Ships in the world (the Olympic Class liners), one of which became Titanic .

Ruth Elizabeth Becker:

Ruth was only 12 years old when she boarded the RMS Titanic with her mother, sister, and brother. The family was separated in different lifeboats and reunited on the Carpathia. Ruth’s family was one of the few who came out of the tragedy without a loved one lost. She avoided talking about Titanic until the 1970s, giving interviews and reconnecting with other survivors.

Thomas Andrews:

As the Chief Naval Architect on Titanic , Thomas Andrews was responsible for the thousands of plans that became the iconic ship. His designs stressed both progress and tradition, incorporating new technologies with proven equipment for support.

Duff Gordon:

Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon, 49, was the fifth baronet of Halkin in the county of Aberdeen, Scotland. In addition to his great wealth and many investments, Duff Gordon was also a proficient fencer; he represented Great Britain at the 1906 Summer Olympics.

Father Browne:

Very few photos of Titanic ’s interiors are in existence, but most that do exist can be attributed to a budding Irish photographer named Francis Browne. Fortunately for him, he was not traveling the full voyage, and disembarked in Ireland. He captured some of the world’s most famous peeks into life on Titanic that are still heavily circulated today.

John Jacob Astor IV:

An American businessman, investor, inventor, writer, and manager of the Astor Family fortune. Following a divorce from his wife, Astor married 18-year old Madeleine Force, and after a short honeymoon, the pair decided to return to America on Titanic after discovering Madeleine’s pregnancy.

Madeline Astor (Force):

A survivor of the tragedy, Madeleine Force, came from a wealthy family who excelled in school and was described as brilliant. John J. Astor was immediately smitten upon their meeting, and the couple married in 1910. She passed away in 1940 at the age of 47 – the same age that her first husband, John J. Astor, tragically died on Titanic .

Exhibition Highlights

A replica boarding pass will be handed to you upon arrival at the Exhibition. With this information, you’ll assume the role of a passenger and follow a chronological journey through the life on Titanic . Visitors will be able to view authentic artifacts, respectfully and honorably recovered from two and a half miles below the surface of the North Atlantic, which tell the real story behind Titanic ’s journey from construction to eventual recovery. Walk the halls, peer into cabins, and meet the passengers and crew throughout the voyage. The genuine, authentic artifacts on display offer emotional connections to the forever-altered lives of those who were on-board Titanic .

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Titanic tour firm OceanGate sued for $50m by victim’s family for sending explorer on ‘doomed & flawed submersible trip’

• Sophie Gable , News Reporter
• Published : 13:43 ET, Aug 7 2024
• Updated : 15:11 ET, Aug 7 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

THE family of one of the victims of the Titan submersible tragedy is now seeking a wrongful death lawsuit of more than $50 million.

The Titan submersible, owned by OceanGate, imploded last June on a destination visit to see the Titanic wreck in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Paul-Henri Nargeolet was among the five voyagers who died in the submersible when it imploded underwater.

Nargeolet was a French explorer and known in the diving community as "Mr. Titanic."

He participated in 37 dives and was a part of the first expedition to the Titanic in 1937.

Nargeolet's estate argued that OceanGate failed to disclose key facts about the submersible in court documents obtained by The U.S. Sun.

Read more on the Titan

New Titanic mission begins TODAY to scour wreck in 1st dive since sub tragedy

Titanic survivor’s family slams billionaire planning dive to wreck

They added that the submersible was "doomed" and had a "troubled history," which wasn't disclosed.

Even though Nargeloet agreed to participate in the voyage, his estate's attorneys are alleging that OceanGate "purposefully concealed" information about the vessel.

"Decedent Nargeolet may have died doing what he loved to do, but his death – and the  26 deaths of the other Titan crew members – was wrongful," the lawsuit reads.

"Rush concealed dangers of which he was aware, specifically providing only certain information to his crew and the public at large."

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The attorneys are now hoping to get answers for the family.

OceanGate has suspended operations since the incident.

DOOMED EXPEDITION

Nargeloet embarked on an expedition with OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and three other explorers - Hamish Harding , Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood - in the North Atlantic Ocean on June 18, 2023.

The submersible lost contact with its support ship just two hours after beginning its journey.

The story caught global attention as the world waited in anticipation to find the missing five travelers.

Just two days later, the Coast Guard announced that they discovered debris consistent with the submersible.

The US Navy then confirmed that sensors detected a likely implosion that killed the five passengers instantly .

The shocking incident prompted national outrage and a conversation on the dangers of unofficial deep-sea exploration.

The safety of the submersible was immediately called into question and an investigation was launched into OceanGate's safety standards.

Marine experts expressed concerns with the Titan's expeditions as far back as 2018.

Will Kohnen, the chair of the Marine Technology Society's Submarine Committee, said at the time that the Titan's disappearance didn't surprise him.

Kohnen wrote a letter to Rush in 2018 citing "unanimous concern" for his company's missions.

The vessels were not certified by an independent marine agency the submersible only completed 13 out of 90 dives since expeditions began in 2021.

The Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board are still investigating the incident to determine the exact causes of the implosion.

The Coast Guard located the rest of the Titan submersible debris and presumed human remains of the victims in October 2023.

The NTSB, Coast Guard, Marine Board of Investigation, Transportation Safety Review of Canada, and the French Marine Casualty Investigation Authority held a joint evidence review the following November.

The investigation is still underway and a spokesperson for the Coast Guard recently told NPR that they are in a "fact-finding phase."

A public hearing is anticipated to come by the end of the year.

CONTINUED WARNINGS

Rob McCallum, who has led seven dives to the Titanic, previously told The Sun that he warned Rush that the submersible wasn't safe.

McCallum founded the company EYOS, a similar luxury expedition company.

"I run an expedition company that had delivered over 1,500 expeditions - we are not cavalier, we manage risk as far as we can.

"So when OceanGate say things like exploration involves risk, yes it does, but that doesn't give you carte blanche to ignore obvious danger."

McCallum added that he told the OceanGate CEO that an independent agency should test the vessel, but he refused to listen.

He warned Rush that using carbon fire material can't withstand the depths of the Titanic wreck site .

Titanic Submersible News

Everything you need to know about the missing submarine, which vanished near the Titanic on June 18, 2023.

• What happened to the  OceanGate Submersible ?
• When did it go  missing ?
• Who is  Hamish Harding ?
• How deep is the Titanic  in the ocean?
• Could the  passengers escape the submarine alive ?
• Who took part in the  rescue effort ?
• Who is  Paul-Henry Nargeolet  and what is he known for?
• Who else was  missing on the stricken vessel ?
• When did the  Titanic sink  and have people explored the wreckage before?

NEW DANGERS

Despite the tragic implosion of the Titan, rogue deep-sea exploration lives on.

Ohio   billionaire  and real-estate investor Larry Connor recently announced that he was planning another mission to see the Titanic wreckage to prove the industry is safe.

“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,” Connor told the  Wall Street Journal .

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Patrick Lahey, co-founder of Triton Submarines, will join Connor on the expedition.

Connor called Lahey a few days after the Titan imploded and urged him to build a better submersible to prove to the world it was possible.

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New study finds that the largest cruise ships are now eight times bigger than the Titanic: 'Today's cruisezillas make the Titanic look like a small fishing boat'

Though cruise ship travel took a heavy hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, more people are cruising now than ever before .

As a result, cruise ships are getting increasingly larger.

As The Guardian reported , the world's largest cruise ships are twice as big as they were in 2000. Industry experts expect these "cruisezillas" to get even larger in the future — up to eight times larger than the Titanic by 2050.

What's happening?

Cruise travel is on the rise because of increasing wealth and clever marketing that moves beyond the baby boomer demographic and targets millennials with money to spend.

It is projected that 35 million people will take cruise ship vacations this year — a 6% increase from before the pandemic. There are also 20 times more cruise ships sailing the seas than in 1970.

"Today's cruisezillas make the Titanic look like a small fishing boat," said Inesa Ulichina, a sustainable shipping analyst for Transport and Environment.

Watch now: Solar-powered boats from the Honnold Foundation are making a difference in the Amazon

Why are larger cruise ships important.

The news about increasingly large cruise ships and heightened demand for this type of unsustainable travel is concerning because the industry significantly damages our oceans.

Cruise ships have an enormous carbon footprint and release lots of carbon dioxide and methane emissions during operation. Large cruise ships can generate over a ton of waste daily and have a bigger pollution footprint than 12,000 cars.

These vessels commonly dispose of untreated sewage in the ocean, putting marine habitats at risk while exposing passengers to toxic chemicals from dirty energy sources.

"Hardly any form of tourism is more energy-intensive than cruises — specifically in combination with a flight to the point of departure," Linnaeus University professor Stefan Gössling said .

What can I do to offset cruise ship travel?

As an individual, you can commit to traveling responsibly and sustainably, avoiding cruise ships at all costs.

Rather than booking a cruise, choose low-impact travel options , such as taking the scenic route via train or reserving an electric vehicle instead of a gas-guzzling rental car.

You can save money and reduce pollution by discovering cool vacation spots close to home . When you feel like exploring further away, choose eco-friendly travel destinations that prioritize sustainability.

It is also helpful to inform friends, family members, and neighbors about the negative impacts of cruise travel and discourage others from ignoring unsustainable cruise ship practices and contributing to the desecration of our natural resources. With better education about the devastating effects of cruise ships, fewer people may take cruise vacations.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips , and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.

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Titanic builder's yard to be bought out by firm owned by Ross County chairman

It is the second time Harland and Wolff has been placed into administration in five years.

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More on this story, shipbuilder administration is ‘hammer blow’ to energy workforce, says union, 'hammer blow': dozens of jobs at risk as titanic builder set to collapse.

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Harland and Wolff’s yard in Lewis is to be bought out by a firm founded by the chairman of Ross County.

The Belfast-based shipbuilder who built the Titanic announced the business is set to move into administration on Tuesday.

Staff at its four shipyards – including in Arnish on the Isle of Lewis and Methil on the Firth of Forth – are not affected, the company said.

Now Global Energy Group, which owns a fabrication yard and is run by Ross County FC chairman Roy MacGregor, has confirmed its interest in buying the Lewis yard from Harland and Wolff.

The firm provides access teams to support the repair and enhancement of assets for the oil and gas and offshore wind sectors.

A spokesperson said: “Global Energy Group have made initial inquiries into the Arnish Yard and look forward to ongoing discussions.”

Harland and Wolff’s interim executive chairman Russell Downs said the group had faced a “very challenging time” due to historic losses and a failure to secure long-term financing.

He said: “It’s important to recognise that this is very difficult news for staff and will affect many within group.

“We will work to support our staff through this transition.

“We also know that it will be very unwelcome news for shareholders who have shown significant commitment to the business over the last five years.

“The board, the senior managers and rest of the team are committed to deliver the best outcome for the four yards and communities they serve to ensure their continued operation into the long term under new ownership.

“Unfortunately, extremely difficult decisions have had to be taken to preserve the future of our yards.

“Despite the recent challenges, the four yards have a strong capability, under new ownership and with the continuing support of their customers, to deliver UK-based ship building and leading UK-based renewables employing over 1,300 committed personnel.

“It’s critical that the business comes through its financial troubles to secure an enduring legacy worthy of its name and its past for the benefit of the UK as a whole and its communities in particular.”

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US fighting planned Titanic expedition, saying wreck is a gravesite

The government's challenge comes more than two months after the titan submersible imploded near the sunken ocean liner, killing five people, by ben finley | the associated press • published august 29, 2023.

The U.S. government is trying to stop a planned expedition to recover items of historical interest from the sunken Titanic , citing a federal law and an international agreement that treat the shipwreck as a hallowed gravesite.

The expedition is being organized by RMS Titanic Inc., the Georgia-based firm that owns the salvage rights to the world’s most famous shipwreck. The company exhibits artifacts that have been recovered from the wreck site at the bottom of the North Atlantic, from silverware to a piece of the Titanic's hull.

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The government's challenge comes more than two months after the Titan submersible imploded near the sunken ocean liner, killing five people. But this legal fight has nothing to do with the June tragedy, which involved a different company and an unconventionally designed vessel.

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The battle in the U.S. District Court in Norfolk, Virginia, which oversees Titanic salvage matters, hinges instead on federal law and a pact with Great Britain to treat the sunken Titanic as a memorial to the more than 1,500 people who died. The ship hit an iceberg and sank in 1912.

The U.S. argues that entering the Titanic's severed hull — or physically altering or disturbing the wreck — is regulated by federal law and its agreement with Britain. Among the government's concerns is the possible disturbance of artifacts and any human remains that may still exist.

“RMST is not free to disregard this validly enacted federal law, yet that is its stated intent,” U.S. lawyers argued in court documents filed Friday. They added that the shipwreck “will be deprived of the protections Congress granted it.”

RMST's expedition is tentatively planned for May 2024, according to a report it filed with the court in June.

The company said it plans to take images of the entire wreck. That includes “inside the wreck where deterioration has opened chasms sufficient to permit a remotely operated vehicle to penetrate the hull without interfering with the current structure.”

RMST said it would recover artifacts from the debris field and “may recover free-standing objects inside the wreck.” Those could include “objects from inside the Marconi room, but only if such objects are not affixed to the wreck itself.”

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The Marconi room holds the ship's radio — a Marconi wireless telegraph machine — which broadcast the Titanic's increasingly frantic distress signals after the ocean liner hit an iceberg. The messages in Morse code were picked up by other ships and onshore receiving stations, helping to save the lives of about 700 people who fled in life boats. There had been 2,208 passengers and crew on the Titanic's maiden voyage, from Southampton, England, to New York.

“At this time, the company does not intend to cut into the wreck or detach any part of the wreck,” RMST stated.

The company said it would “work collaboratively” with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. agency that represents the public's interest in the wreck. But RMST said it does not intend to seek a permit.

U.S. government lawyers said the firm can't proceed without one, arguing that RMST needs approval from the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, who oversees NOAA.

The company has not filed a response in court. But in previous cases, it has challenged the constitutionality of U.S. efforts to “infringe” on its salvage rights to a wreck in international waters. The firm has argued that only the court in Norfolk has jurisdiction, and points to centuries of precedent in maritime law.

RMST reiterated that stance in a statement to The Associated Press on Tuesday, noting that the court granted its salvage rights three decades ago. Since then, the firm said it has recovered and conserved thousands of Titanic artifacts, which millions of people have seen.

“The company will continue its work, respectfully preserving the memory and legacy of Titanic, her passengers and crew for the future generations," RMST said.

In 2020, the U.S. government and RMST engaged in a nearly identical legal battle over a proposed expedition that could have cut into the wreck. But the proceedings were cut short by the coronavirus pandemic and never fully played out.

The company's plan then was to retrieve the radio, which sits in a deck house near the grand staircase. An uncrewed submersible was to slip through a skylight or cut the heavily corroded roof. A “suction dredge” would remove loose silt, while manipulator arms could cut electrical cords.

The company said it would exhibit the radio along with stories of the men who tapped out distress calls “until seawater was literally lapping at their feet.”

In May 2020, U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith gave RMST permission, writing that the radio is historically and culturally important and could soon be lost to decay. Smith wrote that recovering the telegraph would “contribute to the legacy left by the indelible loss of the Titanic, those who survived, and those who gave their lives in the sinking.”

A few weeks later, the U.S. government filed an official legal challenge against the 2020 expedition, which never happened. The firm indefinitely delayed its plans in early 2021 because of complications wrought by the pandemic.

Put-in tours

Original tour agency in moscow and st petersburg..

Onboard a Soviet van!

Welcome to Russia!

We are Sergey and Simon, a Russian and a Frenchman, both  passionate about Moscow, Saint-Petersburg and classic cars. Together, we have created Put-in tours. Our goal is to help you experience Russian culture off the beaten path. Join us onboard our classic Soviet van and let’s get rolling!

In Moscow we offer you a city tour to discover most of the city in an original way as well as a night tour to admire the lights. Our pubcrawl is ideal to explore Moscow’s night-life and have fun. If you are craving to discover Russian culture, come impress your senses during our monastery diner or join our 100% Russian Banya Excursion . The latest will also bring you to Sergiyev Posad and it’s famous monastery!

For the most extreme travellers, our shooting tour will deliver your daily dose of adrenaline whereas our tank excursion will let you ride a real tank and shoot a bazooka.

We also offer help to receive your visa , safe and multilingual airport transfers , as well as organisation services for team-building events or bachelor parties .

All our excursions (but the monastery diner) happen onboard our Soviet military vans and can be covered by our  professionnal photographer or videographer.

In Saint Petersburg

We welcome you in Saint Petersburg onboard our Soviet van to discover the imperial city with our city tour and night tour .

Continue your discovery in style! The adrenaline lovers will like our shooting tour  which brings 3 Russian weapons to the tip of your trigger finger.

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At Put-in tours, we put you in our classic Soviet vans to go explore Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Russian culture off the beaten path. Discover our Moscow city guided tour, visit Moscow by night, join our banya & Sergiyev Posad excursion, visit and dine in one of Moscow's oldest monastery or even Luzhniki stadium, before you party on our famous pubcrawl! Original and atypical tours : Shoot AK47 and a bazooka after riding on a tank with our tank & bazooka excursion ! Extreme tours: Fly a fighter jet in Moscow onboard a L-29 or L-39 aircraft!

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