The submersible vessel named Titan used to visit the wreckage site of the Titanic. Photo / AP
A viral photograph earlier this week showed the missing Titanic submersible was steered by a $30 video game controller, pointing to the unconventional systems aboard the small vessel.
Following news that the submarine has since imploded after being lost for days, serious questions are now being asked about the safety protocols not only on this submarine but on all maritime crafts.
Speaking to The Front Page podcast, UK correspondent Gavin Grey says these deaths will spark a long investigation.
“The one thing that is up for some discussion now are the regulations concerning maritime vessels, which some say is simply nowhere near the standard of aviation,” says Grey.
“That may well get looked at over the coming weeks. We are still in that stage of trying to find out what went wrong, so I suspect this won’t be looked at for some time. But it will be looked at and we will likely see a drive toward more continuity when it comes to the rules and regulations regarding vessels that submersible and indeed those that sail on the surface.”
Despite the fact that passengers paid in the vicinity of US$250,000 ($406,100) for a spot on the submersible, what they got was far from the luxury one would expect at that price tag.
“It was a little under seven metres, there were no seats, there was only one quite small window and the toilet is behind a curtain. And while you may think you’re going to get the most fantastic views, at that depth, it’s virtually pitch black. This was not what you might of as a normal tourist outing.”
So why would anyone go on a trip like this? And why was the world so fascinated by the misfortune of those onboard?
Listen to the full episode of The Front Page podcast for a broader discussion on this catastrophe.
The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. It’s presented by Damien Venuto, an Auckland-based journalist, with a background in business reporting, who joined the Herald in 2017.
You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Simone White, 28, is the fifth tourist to have died after becoming ill last week.