Ohio man plans to take a 2-person submersible to Titanic depths to show the industry is safe after the OceanGate tragedy
An Ohio billionaire is planning a deep-sea expedition to “Titanic-level depths” in a multi-million dollar submersible, nearly a year after a tragic sub implosion near the Titanic wreck.
Larry Connor aims to demonstrate the safety of personal submersibles with a $20 million voyage to the Titanic’s resting place. He will be accompanied by Triton Submarines co-founder Patrick Lahey in a Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer, a two-person submersible.
“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.
According to Triton Submarines, the Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer is the “world’s deepest diving acrylic sub,” capable of diving 4,000 meters—sufficient to reach the Titanic at 3,800 meters.
Connor, known for his explorations of the Mariana Trench and the International Space Station, aims to prove such deep-sea explorations can be conducted safely following the tragic implosion of the OceanGate submersible last June, which killed five people including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Connor has not disclosed the date of the planned voyage.
The OceanGate Titan submersible vanished on June 18 during a Titanic exploration. After a five-day search, the U.S. Coast Guard found debris consistent with a catastrophic implosion near the Titanic.
Since 2021, OceanGate had been offering Titanic tours for $250,000 per person. During the search for the Titan, the Coast Guard discovered debris over two miles deep and about 1,600 feet from the Titanic’s bow, confirming the vessel’s fate.
