The whole story is one of those things that seems too stupid to be real, but it is. Rich dudes with no actual survival instinct thought it was a great idea to pay $250K to ride in a sub that totally was not built for deep sea exploration way, way down there to look at the Titanic. I mean, this piece of shit is controlled by a $29 LogiTech replica video game controller and they thought this was a great idea!

Yesterday, they were saying there's still 40 hours of oxygen in the sub and later on, there were reports of some sort of "banging" signal in the area, but nothing since then. And even if there was, I don't know if it could be feasibly retrieved if it's at the bottom of the ocean. At the very least, I sure as hell wouldn't be on that duty.

However, the horror movie addict part of me is very intrigued by the ramifications of 4-5 guys being stuck deep under water with little-to-no chance of timely rescue. I'm talking things like:

1. Has someone taken the initiative of "stretching out the oxygen" by killing the others? I mean, if someone freaks out and goes into hysterics, they're wasting precious air, so ending them would be for the greater good. And after you've done it once, it's got to be easier to keep going until all the oxygen is yours.

2. Don't know what the food supplies are like on that little deep sea coffin, but if you've gone all the way to murder to keep your life going a bit longer, when does cannibalism become an option?

I mean, sure, some might say this fits into the "overdrive is a bad person" category, but I would be so happy if they did retrieve this thing in a few days and find out that there's one living (but really, really insane) person, 3-4 guys who were obviously murdered and a few bites missing from at least corpse. With how this site has been overran by never-ending, circular poli-arguments, we need something fun to talk about!

I'm going to have to agree with you. I would love to see this a movie. Maybe the father kills everyone else and then offs him self to give the teenager a chance a survival. 

posted by superman

I'm going to have to agree with you. I would love to see this a movie. Maybe the father kills everyone else and then offs him self to give the teenager a chance a survival. 

Bonus points if the teen does live through it, but is totally insane after spending "x" amount of hours all alone underwater with dead bodies and turns into a serial killer!

When they recover their bodies, I would hope they charge the millions against their estate

posted by Devils Advocate

When they recover their bodies, I would hope they charge the millions against their estate

Agreed 100%

I just can’t imagine being a billionaire and getting on that piece of shit. Like wtf are you doing. And I feel bad, I do, but who fucking cares about the titanic if you can only see it out of a 12 inch window. 

I also thought about someone has to want to kill some of them for more oxygen. But from what I saw, if something did fail, no chance they could last the pressure to the bottom. I hope they survive, but seems dumb. 

posted by iclfan2

I just can’t imagine being a billionaire and getting on that piece of shit. Like wtf are you doing. And I feel bad, I do, but who fucking cares about the titanic if you can only see it out of a 12 inch window. 

I also thought about someone has to want to kill some of them for more oxygen. But from what I saw, if something did fail, no chance they could last the pressure to the bottom. I hope they survive, but seems dumb. 

They knew the risks going in.  There rescue efforts should be reimbursed.  

I thought about starting a thread on this.

Although, I would say this doesn't strike me as dumb as all the rich people crashing their private planes.  This was not something that had a reasonably good alternative (though photos I've seen from remote subs are good enough for me). 

Same thing as going into space.  Probably stupid risky, but obscenely rich people can be adrenaline junkies, too (i.e. Tom Cruise).

I think it's also very likely that these people aren't fully capable of assessing the risks.  The company would tell you they've done hundreds of tests, everything built to extreme tolerances with 3X redundancies....but then go talk to an engineer, and they probably identify hundreds of points of failure and then "even with all the redundancies, 1% chance of catastrophic failure".  And, well, we know from Covid that many people don't appreciate that 1% really aren't odds you want to bet your life on.

People go down there all the time. I can’t agree it was a dumb decision. If they have the money, I’m not one to argue how people spend it.

That said, due diligence on the company you choose needs to be done. Because it seems this company had major red flags and many of them were reported and ignored. 

posted by iclfan2

I just can’t imagine being a billionaire and getting on that piece of shit. Like wtf are you doing. And I feel bad, I do, but who fucking cares about the titanic if you can only see it out of a 12 inch window. 

I also thought about someone has to want to kill some of them for more oxygen. But from what I saw, if something did fail, no chance they could last the pressure to the bottom. I hope they survive, but seems dumb. 

This. I just have no interest in seeing it. Especially given the risks even if it almost always is fine. Not to mention you're seeing it after 110+ years of sitting at the bottom of the ocean, so how much is recognizable anyways.

They heard the sounds but are still left with an area twice the size of Connecticut and 2.5 miles deep according to the CBS news article I read. 

posted by Laley23

People go down there all the time. I can’t agree it was a dumb decision. If they have the money, I’m not one to argue how people spend it.

People climb Everest all the time, too, and there is still a known and quantifiable chance of death (probably over half of which are completely out of your control).  I see it's just dropped below 1%.

It's the rich person version of extreme sports.  Seems like most of the extreme sports junkies, if they stick with it long enough, end up dead.  That's kind of what happens when you take a small % chance with your life hundreds of times.

posted by friendfromlowry

This. I just have no interest in seeing it. Especially given the risks even if it almost always is fine. Not to mention you're seeing it after 110+ years of sitting at the bottom of the ocean, so how much is recognizable anyways.

They heard the sounds but are still left with an area twice the size of Connecticut and 2.5 miles deep according to the CBS news article I read. 

Is there not a state twice the size of Connecticut ?

It’s all crazy to me. I have no interest and would never consider it but that goes for endless amount of things.

On the topic one thing I find odd…seems very likely 5 people are going to (or already have died)….this story is a decent size tragedy, but what’s odd is literally every post or mention of this on FB, people are making light of it. A place where seeming half the people are there just to disagree with the others. I wasn’t expecting much compassion but I’ve seen not a morsel of it, it’s just odd.

I read an article about a rich fude that did this trip in 2001 and cost $110,000 then. He said he had to sit with legs crossed for 10 hours snd no room to move at all. No bathroom…basically a suicide trip he said.

posted by Ironman92

Is there not a state twice the size of Connecticut ?

Maryland

So is this a "good" way to go, or bad?  Assuming they have their phones, they can at least record a goodbye.  And as far as the trauma and suffering, they probably would hold out hope right up until about the time they pass out from CO2 poisoning.

On the other hand, if they lost all power that thing becomes a freezing ice box within hours. 

Pitch black and freezing, waiting for your oxygen to slowly run out....

Do radio beacons not work at that depth?  Probably would have been a key question to ask.

posted by Ironman92

On the topic one thing I find odd…seems very likely 5 people are going to (or already have died)….this story is a decent size tragedy, but what’s odd is literally every post or mention of this on FB, people are making light of it.

People allow their jealousy of the rich to say amazingly insensitive things.

I get it, it seems like kind of a dumb thing to spend $250k on, but that's also how technological advancements get funded.  Rich thrill seekers will fund all those early SpaceX missions, and ultimately make "affordable" tourism to Mars possible....some day.

Unfortunately, this just seems like bragging rights.  I can't imagine you get a better view down there than you would from all the video/photos we've seen taken in ideal conditions and enhanced.  Whereas I could see pictures from space never doing that experience justice.

posted by queencitybuckeye

Maryland

LOL...someone decided they were going with "twice the size of Connecticut" and I'll be damned if all the Ron Burgundy's out there aren't reading along!

(Rereads article) Yeah, they went with twice the size of Connecticut. 

posted by gut

So is this a "good" way to go, or bad?  Assuming they have their phones, they can at least record a goodbye.  And as far as the trauma and suffering, they probably would hold out hope right up until about the time they pass out from CO2 poisoning.

On the other hand, if they lost all power that thing becomes a freezing ice box within hours. 

Pitch black and freezing, waiting for your oxygen to slowly run out....

Do radio beacons not work at that depth?  Probably would have been a key question to ask.

I can’t fathom any aspect of this is a good way to go….that “having hope until the CO2 poisoning”….I’m thinking the vast majority would get a good amount of panic built as soon as they learned something was wrong….and as panic builds it just keeps gaining steam. I’d guess an absolute nightmare 95+% of the time after learning of a problem

posted by gut

People climb Everest all the time, too, and there is still a known and quantifiable chance of death (probably over half of which are completely out of your control).  I see it's just dropped below 1%.

Window only for best for 1300m and guy wouldn’t give the green light for 4000 m…..fired

https://newrepublic.com/post/173802/missing-titanic-sub-faced-lawsuit-depths-safely-travel-oceangate?fbclid=IwAR1He-oUiLst9lEp5oDAtKJMDe7zmGF7cofiY7dER6w9FD63wddY5ul2xEQ_aem_th_AUKyqZTXJmGHoNrjyl4NEunA-v05xxy9_lCxwzjGTho0gPOYQplLhJmfAWW9q0Ikmx8&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

posted by Heretic

1. Has someone taken the initiative of "stretching out the oxygen" by killing the others? I mean, if someone freaks out and goes into hysterics, they're wasting precious air, so ending them would be for the greater good. And after you've done it once, it's got to be easier to keep going until all the oxygen is yours.

hah! We were just talking about this at work tonight, wondering if the thought has crossed any of those men's minds.

I say it has.

My guess is it imploded days ago and will never be found. 

posted by Laley23

People go down there all the time. I can’t agree it was a dumb decision. If they have the money, I’m not one to argue how people spend it.

That said, due diligence on the company you choose needs to be done. Because it seems this company had major red flags and many of them were reported and ignored. 

Agree. 

Also, regarding the 'red flags', some or all of the 'warnings' from 5 years ago involved a prototype, not the current Titan, although what and how much changed is unclear at this point.  I'm sure all that will get examined and washed out.  People have made this descent many times; I think the one guy on board has been down there 30 times.  Yes, it is damn risky, but just the first page of the disclaimer a passenger signs lists risk of death 3 times.  When you're this wealthy you get to do a lot of things and I think some of those folks get bored over time and need to keep pushing the envelope, and they enjoy the thrill.  If that's what makes them tick, have at it. 

As to reimbursement of expenses, some of that may be warranted depending on which entity did what.  But a lot of it is an expense regardless, funded by taxpayers etc....  For instance, the Coast Guard may incur some incremental expense such as fuel, but in reality all those personnel are going to be paid regardless if they are sitting at the base in Boston or running offshore for a rescue.  That's what we all pay them for; it's essentially an insurance pool.  Ditto for the Navy response.  Heck,, it is a good training exercise if nothing else.  And if private entities want to help out as Good Samaratins, so be it ..................they can ask for reimbursement if necessary later. 

Outside of wishing for a miracle, I hope that the craft imploded and these people didn't have to suffer an unfathomable, torturous, slow death.

Pretty grim to report they are still following noises when they supposedly ran out of air 2 hours ago.

I think it probably imploded.  They know where it was going, and to lose all contact suddenly and find no traces...

Yeah, I would be stunned if it wasn't some sort of malfunction and they were all crushed 5 days ago or whatever. I honestly hope thats the case. I cannot fathom floating in darkness for this long knowing it was ending at any time. This is my irrational fear of floating out into space realized in a potential circumstance.