You Didn't Ask...But : You Didn't Ask...But-#16-Titan by Brett Matthew West Artwork by MoonWillow at FanArtReview.com |
Would you be prone to sign any waiver that said "May be subject to extreme pressure. And any failure of the vessel could cause severe injury or death?"
What if the waiver went on to state, "I will be exposed to risks associated with high pressure gases, pure oxygen, and high voltage systems which could lead to injury, disability and death?" Finally, what if the waiver stated, "If I am injured, I may not receive immediate medical attention?" Not saying these were the waivers those aboard the Titan submersible had to sign but they were ones Mike Reiss, one of the writers for "The Simpsons" television show signed in order to go on a Titanic expedition with OceanGate back in 2022. The Titan was not a registered vessel with the United States or any international agency that regulates safety. For that matter, no maritime industry groups who set standards on such trivial pursuits, as oh let's say things like hull construction requirements, had the Titan registered with them either. When the Titan submersible dove into the North Atlantic it plunged deep into the shadowy regulated waters of deep-sea exploration. Not only that, but in an area where laws are frequently side-stepped by high-risk entrepreneurs as well as wealthy tourists in search of big adventures. Are these thrills worth the inherent dangers? Currently, most experts on the topic would tend to estimate submersibles operating in deep oceans can be likened to the earliest stages of aviation in the beginning portions of the 1900s. Back in those days, that field was in its infancy and several disasters transpired prior to decisions concerning aviation became laws. The question remains will there come a time when people will not have to consider twice about getting inside a submersible and going down into water which may range up to 15,000 feet or more? Submersibles are nowhere near that level yet. The five deaths inside the Titan submersible have drawn attraction to how these forms of expeditions should be regulated. Are you aware that today these excursions are regulated even less than those that launch private citizens into space? Think Elon Musk. What is the primary purpose for this lack of regulation? Because these excursions are performed in international waters and remain far outside the reach of the laws of nations. Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, had been quoted to boldly reiterate, "I do not want to be bogged down by such standards." He no longer needs to concern himself with that matter as Rush was one of the five who perished inside the Titan submersible. Was this perchance an instance of the captain sinking with his ship? In a blog post on OceanGate's company webpage, Rush wrote, "Bringing an outside entity up to speed on every innovation before it is put into real-world testing is anathema." This was Rush's fancified word for saying it was something he vehemently disliked the notion of doing. Perhaps Rush should have rethought his likes? You think? The Titan was permitted to be transported over the road since it could be launched from another ship, namely the Polar Prince, a Canadian Icebreaker. For regulatory purposes, the highway patrol apparently had jurisdiction over the vehicle that towed the Titan, and its trailer. However, the law enforcement agency held no sway over the boat, which was considered cargo. While lawsuits for wrongful death and negligence could be filed in this case, any legal actions will probably face various kinds of challenges because of the waivers the deceased passengers no doubt signed prior to their departure. Unquestionably, these waivers must have warned them of the many means in which they could die along the voyage. Their families may not be able to recoup damages in light of these waivers. Suppose time will decipher those issues. What is more likely to occur is OceanGate may experience several negative repercussions under the passenger Vessel Safety Act of 1993. Rush had previously stated OceanGate Expeditions, the arm of the company that led dives to the Titanic, was based in the Bahamas. In addition, the question about whether the Titan was insured or not remains unresolved. The Titan submersible's explosion may well lead the US to tighten regulations of these vessels, though not all experts are onboard that they should be, nor does the International Maritime organization have any authority to impose its will on the matter. In 2021, a documentary cameraman for the Discovery channel's "Expedition Unknown," by the name of Brian Weed, rode a test-dive on the Titan submersible. Weed claimed Stockton Rush got, in Weed's word, "flustered" when the Titan's communications and propulsion systems malfunctioned during a trial dive in May of that year. Weed further claimed these failures occurred somewhere around the shallow 100-foot depth level. Additionally, Weed claimed he refused a full dive in the Titan mainly because of concerns about its carbon-fiber hull. Weed was quoted as saying, "I felt like every time the vessel goes down, it's going to get weaker and weaker. And, that's a little bit like playing Russian roulette [with the lives of passengers]." Its future uncertain, and "all scheduled dives to the Titanic have been rescinded," according to the New York Post, OceanGate's company website lists two eight-day excursions to the Titanic during 2024. Is it not peculiar they have not yet removed these voyages, even though what is being classified as "presumed human remains" from the imploded Titan have begun to surface from off the seafloor according to the US Coast Guard? Suppose a question could be proposed are these "presumed human remains" OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush? British Billionaire Hamish Harding? French diving expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet? Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood? His 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood? Or perhaps some combination(s) thereof? As of July 3, 2023, OceanGate's website contained this information in regards to the two aforementioned Titanic expeditions listed for June 12-20, 2024 and June 21-29, 2024. "Follow in Jacques Cousteau's footsteps and become an underwater explorer - beginning with a dive to the wreck of the RMS Titanic. This is your chance to step outside of everyday life and discover something truly extraordinary." Isn't there only one slight problem with that invitation? OceanGate no longer has the Titan submersible. It went KER-BOOM! All-in-all, when everything is said and done, and the media attention of this event subsides, nothing of significant substance is likely to change. You didn't ask...but.
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Brett Matthew West
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