A submarine used to take tourists to see the wreckage of the Titanic has disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean prompting a search and rescue mission to be launched. This Monday, the Boston Coast Guard confirmed to the BBC that the operation has now been officially green-lighted.
Titanic: What Happened to the Tourist Submarine?
Hours later, the company OceanGate announced through a statement to CBS that there are indeed people on board, but did not say how many or their identities. Despite its high cost, the visit to see the remains of the famous ship is one of the great attractions worldwide for an exclusive group of tourists who can afford the trip.
Generally, the packages to go to the Titanic amount to thousands of dollars since the trip takes several days and, in the particular case of the ascent and descent at sea, the transfer takes approximately eight hours. According to the latest report from the company OceanGate Expeditions, in charge of the submarines, tourists are charged up to 300,000 dollars for a place within the eight-day packages.
Where Are the Remains of the Titanic?
The remains of the Titanic are located at 3800 meters on the seabed and about 600 kilometers off the coast of Newfoundland in Canada. In recent decades, the area has been visited several times by scientists, explorers, tourists, and, of course, film directors such as James Cameron.
Thousands of artifacts have been recovered showing what the world-class ship looked like at the time; however, over time, the Titanic’s condition has deteriorated due to the constant growth of bacteria. That is why, as of 2001, UNESCO included the wreckage in its famous Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage.
What Happened to the Titanic?
The passenger line in charge of the Titanic was the largest in the world at the beginning of the 20th century. On April 15, 1912, the ship sank after hitting an iceberg during its voyage from Southampton (England) to New York (United States).
Of the 2,200 passengers who started the voyage, more than 1,500 lost their lives. The remains of the ship were discovered in 1985 and, from that moment on, specialists began underwater voyages to understand what happened. Sometime later, the experience was opened to tourists.
For many years it was believed that the Titanic had sunk in one piece. However, the 1985 expedition led by Jean-Louis Michel and Robert Ballard changed the entire historical perspective. Thanks to that research, experts determined that the Titanic had “broken up” near the surface before sinking.
Why Was It Called Titanic?
As the largest ship in the world at the time, the name Titanic was given to recall the famous “Titans” of Greek mythology. The ship was built in the city of Belfast and on the day it sailed, April 10, dozens of international media covered the event.
Titanic was part of a spectacular three-ship project with the RMS Olympic and HMHS Britannic. For the White Star Line, the initiative would revolutionize the world. It was a key moment in the face of stiff competition from rival Cunard.
In cultural matters, the Titanic has become an impressive worldwide phenomenon that has given rise to films, books, poems, and songs about the shipwreck. Of course, the most famous reference is the 1997 film directed by James Cameron that launched Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio to fame, winning eleven Oscars.
Story written in Spanish by Miguel Fernández in Cultura Colectiva News
