# Titanic tourist submarine missing 6-19-2023 (Debris field found, passengers presumed dead. 06-22-23) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** breaking-news\ **Created:** [June 19, 2023, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781 "2023-06-19T16:29:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/221 "2023-06-21T12:38:12Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Not to be morbid, but depending on how catastrophic the failure, retrieval of remains could be challenging. I read in a report about the loss of the _Scorpion_ in 1968 that when the crew cabin ruptured the surge of entering water was moving at supersonic speed. When they say “crush depth”, they mean “CRUSH depth”! It’s not, “creak, groan, leak, gush”, it’s “BOOM!” I wouldn’t risk a single life to recover dead bodies. Even if I was a family member of one of the deceased, I wouldn’t want more lives to be lost. Let them join the Titanic Graveyard. It’s a fitting place considering the risk they took to get there. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/222 "2023-06-21T12:59:06Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > They have, what, about 24 hours of air left as I type this? I am surprised that nobody has mentioned this yet, but we are talking about a given amount of air for five people. Not just any people, but two billionaires, the son of a billionaire and the captain, who seems to believe he belongs to that circle. Those are the kind of persons who in such a situation I would suspect of thinking: “Wait a minute, if I kill the others, there is more airtime for me” and to act accordingly. And knowing that the others have the same thoughts only makes action more urgent. > [@Broomstick](#): > > It would drop ballast, making the whole of it lighter than water and it would rise like an (armored) air bubble. As it relies on physics to operate it would absolutely reliable as a system provided that 1) the “drop ballast” mechanism worked […] and 2) they’re not snagged/entangled by something on the bottom. That is assuming it is not full of water, which changes the density of the sub in a very unfavourable way and makes my first point moot. > [@alovem](#): > > Some of you upthread seem to think this is a good time to crack jokes. That is a completely normal, even expected behaviour at funerals where I live. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/223 "2023-06-21T13:11:48Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > “Wait a minute, if I kill the others, there is more airtime for me” and to act accordingly. And knowing that the others have the same thoughts only makes action more urgent. And then you’d be arrested after they rescued you. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/224 "2023-06-21T13:12:52Z")
> [@alovem](#): > > Do you not care about the image you’re projecting of yourselves and of the SDMB? No? What about the feelings of anyone who’s close to this developing story for any reason? 😒 No offense, but I don’t think our posts are making news, and I doubt the families could possibly have any clue what we are up to. I mean, if I’m wrong, I’m happy to apologize to the poster who is close to this story. Otherwise, gallows humor is definitely one way that people handle the thought of horrific tragedy. Consider it a coping mechanism. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/225 "2023-06-21T13:13:13Z")
Self defense. And a harrowing movie plot. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/226 "2023-06-21T13:13:59Z")
Sending them a QSL card is problematic. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/227 "2023-06-21T13:15:20Z")
“One of the passengers went nuts and started strangling people. When he came for me, I was able to strangle him!” ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/228 "2023-06-21T13:19:20Z")
> [@alovem](#): > > Some of you upthread seem to think this is a good time to crack jokes. But is it OK to joke about cracks? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/229 "2023-06-21T13:27:14Z")
> [@alovem](#): > > Some of you upthread seem to think this is a good time to crack jokes. You must be new here. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/230 "2023-06-21T13:34:49Z")
> [@alovem](#): > > Some of you upthread seem to think this is a good time to crack jokes. Do you not care about the image you’re projecting of yourselves and of the SDMB? No? What about the feelings of anyone who’s close to this developing story for any reason? 😒 ![](https://media.tenor.com/nwoJ4BS0XHYAAAAC/oh-no-anyway.gif "Oh No Anyway GIF - Oh No Anyway - Discover & Share GIFs") ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/231 "2023-06-21T13:41:28Z")
Or at least a play. From _My Dinner with Andre:_ Wally: By the way…uh…did you ever see that play…uh…”The Violets are Blue”? Andre: No. Wally: Oh, when…when you mentioned the violets, it…it reminded me of that. It…it was about…um…people being…uh…strangled on a…on a submarine. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/232 "2023-06-21T14:21:58Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > I wouldn’t risk a single life to recover dead bodies. Some non-zero amount of risk must be acceptable, even if it’s just the risk of a rescue ship sinking enroute to the site. But yes, risk policies for recovery operations (where you’re trying to collect dead bodies and equipment) tend to be much more conservative than for search/rescue operations (where you’re trying to save trapped/stranded people before they die). That’s always been the case, and I wouldn’t expect it to be any different here. > [@wolfpup](#): > > Just FTR, it’s hard to find pictures of that part of the vessel, but from pictures and diagrams I found, you’re correct. It has titanium hemispheres at both ends, with the circular window on the front one. At the rear, there is a bunch of machinery outside the rear hemisphere, and that is covered by a fairing. The actual pressure vessel is a symmetrical carbon fiber cylinder with titanium hemispheres at both ends. This is similar to the design of (at least some) pressurized-cabin aircraft, i.e. a hemispherical pressure dome covered by a fairing or other structure that exhibits a non-hemispherical shape. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/233 "2023-06-21T14:35:36Z")
[https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/maker-of-the-lost-titanic-sub-once-told-a-reporter-that-at-some-point-safety-is-just-pure-waste/ar-AA1cNP0H](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/maker-of-the-lost-titanic-sub-once-told-a-reporter-that-at-some-point-safety-is-just-pure-waste/ar-AA1cNP0H) > He said there was a “limit” to safety, telling Pogue: “You know, at some point, safety is just pure waste. I mean, if you just want to be safe, don’t get out of bed, don’t get in your car, don’t do anything. At some point, you’re going to take some risk, and it really is a risk-reward question.” > > Rush added that his Titan sub features, and trips to the Titanic wreck, can be done outside of what’s been previously done, saying: “I think I can do this just as safely while breaking the rules.” ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/234 "2023-06-21T14:38:20Z")
LogiTech Product Support, how can we help you today? _glug_ _glug_ _glug_ glug\* ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/235 "2023-06-21T14:41:06Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > > [@Smapti](#): > > > > This is going to become a salvage operation very soon. > > Yep, basically tomorrow morning. Well, if you want blatant, crazy speculation: Whatever went wrong (other than total immediate crushing) the company guy on-board immediately realizes that they are in deep, deep shit. After all, he’d been getting those warnings and, no doubt, zillions of meetings over how screwed things would be if any of a myriad things go bad. So he swiftly pulls out the ninja knife he’d brought along, just in case, y’know? and slaughtered the other four passengers. Bingo! He has now got five times as many hours of (increasingly putrid smelling) air to breathe while some amazing rescue is carried out. Too bad the other passengers didn’t read all the micro print on those release forms. Not only do they say the captain is empowered to take whatever steps are needed to ensure at least somebody survives, but the remaining survivor(s) also become the sole heir(s) to all the estates of those who perish. Nice little bonus, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/236 "2023-06-21T14:57:22Z")
On the assumption that if the pressure hull has not been compromised and that this group is (or was) otherwise alive and well for some time period of hours or days, it can be inferred there were undoubtedly very “interesting” conversations to be had. I’ve wondered if they have their cell phones, iPads, laptops and similar devices to record their expedition for posterity should the vessel be retrieved intact at some point. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/237 "2023-06-21T14:59:29Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > remember a relative talking about training with a “Momsen lung” at New London, Conn. iirc, for submarine school, they had a tall cylinder there filled containing hundreds of feet of water to practice underwater egress and surfacing. Only one hundred feet of water, IIRC. > [@robby](#): > > I went through submarine school at the New London submarine base (which is actually located across the Thames River in Groton, CT). The escape tower was no longer used by the time I went through training in the early 1990s because they were losing more sailors due to the occasional drowning than were being saved by its use. Don’t know when they stopped using the towers, but the one in Groton was closed when I went through SubScol in '82, and the one at Pearl was closed by the time I got there in '86. The Groton tower was torn down in the '90s, but the one at Pearl is still there. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/238 "2023-06-21T15:04:16Z")
And that for what…? To face a life imprisonment sentence when or if he were rescued as the sub’s sole occupant, for having killed the other 4? ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/239 "2023-06-21T15:10:30Z")
Ah, but you see, if was one of the OTHER four who killed the first three passengers. Our valiant survivor simply killed that murderer in self defense. I’m sure a billionaire can hire a whole lot of lawyers to argue the case for a few decades. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781/240 "2023-06-21T15:12:48Z")
There are some people who adhere to the radical opinion that is better to be alive, even if in judicial jeopardy, than dead. Crazy, I know. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-6-19-2023-debris-field-found-passengers-presumed-dead-06-22-23/985781.md?page=13)