New mission to Titanic site following previous fatal submersible incident

A fresh journey to the depths of the Titanic's resting place has set sail, barely a year after the tragic loss of five souls aboard the OceanGate submersible.

The expedition , orchestrated by RMS Titanic, Inc. (RMST), aims to scour the Titanic's remains and surrounding debris to "reveal important new insights into the condition of the site, areas and artefacts at risk."

In light of the heated debate over crewed deep-sea explorations , RMST has announced that the mission will be carried out using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

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The vessel M/V Dino Chouest embarked from Louisiana, made a pit stop in Rhode Island, and departed last week. The ship is on course to arrive at the historic site, located some 350 miles off Newfoundland's coast, with plans to return around August 13.

Jessica Sanders, the President of RMST, expressed her excitement: "This monumental undertaking will allow us to document the Titanic in unprecedented detail and share new discoveries from the wreck site with the public."

In the wake of the Titan calamity, there's a growing chorus demanding an end to crewed visits to the Titanic's grave. Detractors argue that the site, a maritime tomb, should remain undisturbed.

Earlier in March, reports surfaced that RMST's dive plans had been curtailed due to pushback from the US federal government, which opposed the salvage of items from the wreckage.

RMST previously said it will "not come into contact with the wreck" nor will it "not attempt any artefact recovery or penetration imaging." RMST, the sole company permitted to salvage from the ill-fated Titanic, has previously stated it will "seek to minimise disturbance to the rest of the Titanic wreck, including to the hull of the ship and the remains of those 1,500 souls lost in the sinking of the ship."

In a tragic turn of events in June 2023, the Titan submersible , engineered by OceanGate, experienced what is believed to be a "catastrophic implosion" in proximity to the Titanic's resting place. A debris field was subsequently discovered approximately 1,600 feet from the ship's bow.

An ongoing investigation into the calamity that claimed the lives of OceanGate CEO and co-founder Stockton Rush, British tycoon Hamish Harding, businessman Shahzada Dawood, his son, and French diver and Titanic specialist Paul-Henri Nargeolet is facing delays.

The safety of such expeditions is under scrutiny, especially considering the decision by the Titan's creators to forgo independent safety verifications.

This summer's expedition to the Titanic holds added significance following the death of Nargeolet , affectionately dubbed "Mr Titanic" by many. Sanders remarked that the mission aims to honor his legacy, expressing hope that it would "continuing the extraordinary work and passion of PH."