Big Risks and Little Regulationĭeep-sea excursions, much like the buzzy “ space-tourism” industry that has gained popularity in recent years, have few regulations in place. OceanGate also offers other pricey experiences for “citizen explorers” looking to traverse the depths of the seas (via the same Titan vehicle that’s gone missing), including a three-day, two-night expedition to hydrothermal vents off the coast of Portugal that costs $250,000 and a Bahamas dive with tickets starting at $45,000. “Extreme adventures used to be the domain of the lunatic fringe,” says Jon Heshka, an associate professor at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia whose research focuses on adventure studies “Now, in order to gain access to these remote areas of the world where governments impose permit fees and requirements … you really have to pay for it.” For those wanting less sticker shock, DeepflightAdventures and Four Seasons began offering in 2018 an hour-long tour along the Maldives in a super Falcon 3S submarine for $1,500. Lucia starting at around $300,000 a night. In “Lovers Deep”, a luxury submarine hotel launched in 2014, couples can circle the reefs of St.

OceanGate, which began taking tourists on its Titanic tours in 2021, joins a growing number of underwater tourism experiences that expose travelers to the depths of the ocean-often for a steep price. In recent years, underwater tourism has expanded beyond the average snorkeling or scuba-diving trip. The crew’s disappearance-and the voyage’s $250,000 per person price tag-has brought a spotlight to the growing and largely unregulated deep-sea tourism industry that is almost exclusively patronized by the ultrawealthy. “What he achieved in his lifetime was truly remarkable and if we can take any small consolation from this tragedy, it’s that we lost him doing what he loved.” He was a passionate explorer - whatever the terrain - who lived his life for his family, his business and for the next adventure,” the family said in the statement. The family of British explorer Hamish Harding wrote in a statement that, while they would mourn his loss deeply, they felt some consolation knowing that he died doing what he loved.

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