Larry Connor, a businessman who owns a real estate company in the US, and Patrick Lahey, co-founder of the maritime company Triton Submarines, are planning a submarine trip to explore the wreck of the Titanic.
The two say they want to take a submarine that can descend to a depth of about 3,800 meters to see the shipwreck in the North Atlantic Ocean.
A submarine built by OceanGate exploded on its way to the Titanic last year, killing five people.
A spokesman for Connor’s company said on Tuesday that the voyage would only take place after a ship is fully approved by a maritime organization.
According to BBC Turkish, there is no timetable planned for the voyage.
The duo plans to use a submarine called Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer. The “4000” refers to the depth in meters to which the submarine can safely dive.
The Titan submarine built by OceanGate was built of carbon fiber and was only certified to 1,300 meters.
It exploded in June 2023 during a voyage to the wreck of the Titanic.
In the accident, 61-year-old Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate, died on board along with four other passengers.
Rush, known for pushing the envelope on safety, had ignored warnings from his advisors about potential problems with Titan. Investigations by US and Canadian authorities are ongoing.
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the Triton expedition, Connor said, “I want to show people around the world how powerful the ocean is, but also how wonderful, fun and truly life-changing it can be if you go the right way.”
The private submarine industry took a huge hit after the Titan disaster. Connor and Lahey hope a successful voyage will revitalize interest.
OceanGate suspended operations after the disaster. Other companies reported canceled orders and reduced sales after the Titan explosion.
Lahey co-founded Triton Submarines in 2008.
Connor is the owner of The Connor Group, a real estate investment company based in Ohio.
Together, the two men attempted to take a submersible to Challenger Deep and Sirena Deep in the Mariana Trench in 2021. At nearly 36,000 ft, the trench is the deepest point on Earth’s seafloor.
