Who Should Foot The Bill For The Search And Rescue of Ocean Gate Titan Search?

Reading, watching, praying, and hoping the occupants of Ocean Gate Titan Expeditions would be found alive. I was shocked and hurt when all five were reported dead.

While reading the paper in Jamaica, this article by AP., got me thinking as someone asked: When wealthy adventurers take huge risks, who should pay for rescue attempts?

Most humans are adventure seekers. Many risk their lives in the process in the name of fun, and some for payment.

Bragging rights are attached to the risk, but only if you survive.

Going to space was the hottest, but most expensive. Only the super-rich can afford it. Now, it’s to see the Titanic.

A journey of fascination began as someone found a way for humans to visit the site. So ‘you can’t bring the ship to humans, bring humans to the ship.’

Brilliant and innovative business idea.

The Titanic was deemed unsinkable, but that didn’t stop life from proving to humanity that they weren’t in charge as they thought they were.

The RMS Titanic, a luxury steamship, sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912, off the coast of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic after sideswiping an iceberg during its maiden voyage. Of the 2,240 passengers and crew on board, more than 1,500 lost their lives in the disaster.

https://www.history.com/topics/early-20th-century-us/titanic

It still sits at the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean more than one hundred years later.

With all our vast technology, more than a century later, the human mind is yet to find a way to retrieve it. Many have tried, and all have failed.

The sinking of the Titanic is a lesson to me, to always have a backup plan.

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wreck_of_the_Titanic

The wreck of the Titanic lies at a depth of about 12,500 feet (3,800 meters; 2,100 fathoms), about 325 nautical miles (602 kilometers) south-southeast off the coast of Newfoundland. It lies in two main pieces about 2,000 feet (600 m) apart.

Our world’s fascination with the Titanic hasn’t stopped.

Warnings over the safety of OceanGate’s Titan submersible were repeatedly dismissed by the CEO of the company, email exchanges with a leading deep sea exploration specialist show.

The CEO was warned.

In messages seen by the BBC, Rob McCallum told OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush that he was potentially putting his clients at risk and urged him to stop using the sub until it had been certified by an independent agency.

He knew the risk and to convince our world that he was right, he went with the crew. Unaware that if he was wrong, he will share their Fate.

In the messages, Mr. Rush, who was among five passengers who died when the Titan experienced what officials believe was a “catastrophic implosion” on Sunday, June 18, 2023, expresses frustration with the criticism of Titan’s safety measures.

Are humans aware that the mistakes made by the Titanic are lessons for humanity. The fact that it was deemed unsinkable but was proven wrong should be a warning for humans to learn from the mistakes made.

Ocean Gate went in like the Titanic, sure of its success. It had warnings and was aware of the risk. Was the Titanic warned too?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65998914

Many economies are still struggling from the side effects of COVID-19. Many believe that the taxpayers shouldn’t foot the bill for the search and rescue of the deadly results of this expensive trip for fun and to test egos.

Families have lost their loved ones. A mother has lost her husband and son. Children have lost their father and grandfather. Wives have lost their husbands. Etc

Either way, like the Titanic, pain, sorrow, and regret are reigning in hearts.

These are not poor people. The cost was US$250, 000. The cost to recover and investigate is in the millions and that includes the assistance of four countries.

The law is clear — the U.S. and Canadian coast guards will never send someone a bill if they need to be rescued. But in the wake of a massive search involving 10 ships from four countries, constant aerial surveillance, and the most advanced remote-operated vehicles in the world, experts are asking if it’s time to change the rules.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/oceangate-expeditions-search-and-rescue-costs-1.6888482

Some believe that these billionaires and millionaires could have donated their money to the poor as more than 80% of the world's population lives in poverty.

The latest global data tells us that 85% of the world's population lives on less than $30 per day. These are 6.5 billion people.

https://ourworldindata.org/higher-poverty-global-line

Because this trip was for fun, and fascination do you think that your tax dollars should pay for the search and rescue of Ocean Gate Titan?

Will the Coast Guards be risking their lives?

Who should pay?

Join the debate!

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoy it.