Near the end of last month, a deep-sea submarine went missing. It was called the Titan, and it was operated by a company called OceanGate. The CEO was taking a small crew of four other people down to see the wreck of the Titanic, which famously sank after hitting an iceberg more than 100 years ago.
Tragically, the sub was lost. The days following saw a massive search, but the wreckage was eventually recovered, and it was determined that the sub had imploded, likely at the time that communications first ended. All on board were lost.
Now, most people will never find themselves on a submarine going toward the Titanic. But this incident still underscores why accidents at sea are so dangerous.
They were probably trying to resurface
For one thing, Titanic expert James Cameron, who has been down to the wreck multiple times and who made the famous movie of the same name, said that he thinks that the sub was trying to resurface. This means that the passengers were aware that something had gone wrong, probably as the carbon fiber used for the hull started to crack.
But they simply didn’t have enough time. They were too deep and not resurfacing quickly enough. When things go wrong in remote areas, solving the issue without injury or even death is sometimes nearly impossible. This can make maritime accidents more catastrophic than similar accidents that occur on land.
All those who work in the maritime industry or spend time on ships need to be aware of these risks. They also need to know how to seek compensation if they are injured.