Importance Score: 72 / 100 🔴
Echoes of the Titan: Egypt Submarine Incident Draws Parallels to 2023 Tragedy
Two submarine incidents, months apart, highlight the inherent perils of tourist submarine excursions and deep-sea exploration. A recent submarine disaster in Egypt shares unsettling parallels with the fatal Titan submersible implosion of 2023, both transforming dreams of ocean exploration into tragic realities. These events underscore the risks associated with venturing into the ocean’s depths, even under the guise of leisure and discovery.
Similarities Emerge Between Egypt and Titan Submersible Incidents
The deep-sea tragedy off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, involving the Titan, operated by OceanGate, saw the vessel implode as it descended towards the wreck of the Titanic. This disaster bears a stark resemblance to the recent submarine sinking off the Egyptian coast, where fatalities have been confirmed, initially reported as six but later clarified to be fewer or more.
In both instances, passengers seeking to witness the wonders of the underwater world perished during their expeditions. These individuals entrusted their lives to companies with established reputations at the time, unaware of the catastrophic risks that lay beneath the surface.
Cost disparities existed between the two ventures. In Egypt, a submarine excursion to depths of 72ft was available for as little as £35, while passengers aboard the Titan paid upwards of £186,000 for the opportunity to descend to the Titanic wreckage.
Rescue Efforts: Contrasting Responses
Following the Egypt incident near Hurghada, rapid response efforts were initiated, with 21 ambulances dispatched to the scene to transport any casualties to local medical facilities.
Conversely, the search and rescue operation for the Titan submersible stretched over four days, culminating in the discovery of debris from the vessel by the US Coast Guard.
Heartbreaking Parallels: Families Affected
A particularly poignant similarity between the two tragedies is the presence of parents and children among the passengers.
The 2023 Titan disaster claimed the lives of British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman.
While the full extent of casualties in the Sindbad vessel incident remains under investigation, the Russian embassy has confirmed that minors were among the tourists on board. Initial reports suggest at least one child has been orphaned by the Egyptian incident and is currently receiving hospital treatment.
Titan Submersible: A Timeline of Tragedy
On the morning of June 18, the Titan commenced its dive, carrying a limited oxygen supply, despite an anticipated seven-hour duration for the excursion.
Contact with the support vessel was lost within two hours of submersion. Later that evening, ten hours after the dive began, the United States Coast Guard was alerted to the overdue submersible.
This initiated an extensive international search to locate the missing vessel, which had descended 12,400ft into the North Atlantic depths.
Wreckage from the Titan was subsequently located on the ocean floor, approximately 330 yards from the bow of the Titanic.
All occupants, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, British explorer Hamish Harding, veteran French diver Paul-Henri Nargeole, and others, perished in the implosion.
Audio recordings later revealed a powerful implosion sound detected by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration device in February, approximately 900 miles from the Titan’s last known location.
Titan’s Operational History and Safety Concerns
Prior to the catastrophic 2023 voyage, the Titan had completed 23 dives in 2021 and 2022, successfully reaching the Titanic wreck site on 13 occasions.
Passengers paid substantial sums, up to £186,000, for a place on the submersible and the chance to witness the historic shipwreck during multi-hour tours.
Limited capacity, with space and oxygen for only five paying passengers, further emphasized the exclusivity and perceived risk of these expeditions.
Egypt Submarine Excursions: Accessibility and Scale
In contrast, the Sharm Hurghada Excursion offers a three-hour underwater experience for a significantly lower cost – £68 per adult and £35 per child.
These larger tourist submarines can accommodate up to 44 passengers, allowing them to observe Hurghada’s marine life at depths of up to 72ft.
The operating company asserts years of experience providing tourist excursions in the region and claims to possess two of only 14 operational recreational submarines globally.
Warnings and Prior Incidents Surrounding Titan
Safety apprehension had long surrounded OceanGate’s operations prior to the 2023 disaster. Dive logs documented numerous technical issues, encompassing failures of thrusters and battery malfunctions.
Reports emerged that the submersible was controlled using a video game controller, and deep-sea exploration experts had voiced concerns to OceanGate, cautioning that their “experimental” approach could lead to a “catastrophic” event.
In 2022, a passenger reported hearing a “significant bang or cracking sound” during the submersible’s ascent.
Despite these concerns, OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush, stated in 2018 regarding the Titan’s safety: “I’m not dying. No-one is dying on my watch – period. I understand this kind of risk, and I’m going into it with eyes open and I think this is one of the safest things I will ever do.”
A former employee who raised safety concerns with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) indicated that the US government agency was slow in addressing prior warnings.
Future Deep-Sea Exploration Plans
Despite the Titan tragedy, US billionaire Larry Connor and Patrick Lahey, co-founder of Triton Submarines, have announced plans for a future expedition to the Titanic wreckage.
This voyage is contingent upon the development of a submersible fully certified by a marine organization, with no specific timeframe currently established.
Egypt: A History of Tourist Vessel Incidents
Egypt has unfortunately witnessed other tourist vessel disasters in recent years.
In November of the previous year, a tourist boat, the Sea Story, sank off Egypt’s Red Sea coast near Shaab Satayah, a popular diving site close to Marsa Alam.
Survivors recounted that a “high sea wave” caused the vessel to capsize rapidly, within “about five or seven minutes,” according to Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi.
In 2023, three British tourists tragically died when a yacht caught fire during a diving excursion in the Red Sea.
Months prior, another yacht, the Carlton Queen, capsized and sank near Hurghada.
UK investigators reported 16 incidents involving “liveaboard” vessels in the region over the preceding five years, with some resulting in fatalities.