We’ve got a story that’s both daring and deeply intriguing. An Ohio billionaire, Larry Connor, is gearing up for an extraordinary underwater adventure to the wreckage of the Titanic, a mere year after another submersible tragically imploded at the same site.
Larry Connor, a real estate investor with a penchant for exploration, is teaming up with Patrick Lahey, the co-founder of Triton Submarines, for this ambitious voyage. Together, they plan to descend more than 12,000 feet into the northern Atlantic in a two-person submersible to visit the Titanic’s resting place.
Patrick Lahey, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, expressed his admiration for Connor’s determination. He shared, “We had a client, a wonderful man. He called me up and said, ‘You know, what we need to do is build a sub that can dive to [Titanic-level depths] repeatedly and safely and demonstrate to the world that you guys can do that, and that Titan was a contraption.'”
Connor’s motivation for this deep-sea expedition is both personal and pioneering. He hopes to show the world that the ocean, despite its immense power, can be an awe-inspiring and life-changing experience when approached correctly.
“Patrick has been thinking about and designing this for over a decade,” Connor said. “But we didn’t have the materials and technology. You couldn’t have built this sub five years ago.”
Their vessel of choice for this incredible journey is the Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer, a $20 million submersible capable of diving to depths of 4,000 meters. The Titanic lies at a depth of about 3,800 meters, well within the reach of this advanced submersible.
This expedition comes in the wake of a tragic incident last June, when a submersible from OceanGate imploded during a similar mission to view the Titanic, killing all five people onboard, including OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush. The implosion was caused by the extreme pressures at such depths, highlighting the significant risks involved in these underwater ventures.
David Lochridge, a seasoned submersible pilot and engineer, had previously raised serious concerns about the design and build of OceanGate’s submersible. Despite his warnings about various flaws, including issues with the carbon-fiber hull and other structural problems, his concerns were dismissed, leading to his eventual dismissal from the company.
In a candid message to Rob McCallum, co-founder of Eyos Expeditions, Lochridge wrote, “I would consider myself pretty ballsy when it comes to doing things that are dangerous, but that sub is an accident waiting to happen. There’s no way on earth you could have paid me to dive the thing. … I don’t want to be seen as a tattle tale but I’m so worried he kills himself and others in the quest to boost his ego.”
The stakes are high, but Connor and Lahey are determined to succeed where others have failed, showcasing the advancements in technology and safety in deep-sea exploration. This upcoming voyage is set to be a groundbreaking event, promising new insights into the mysterious depths of our oceans.
