My initial thoughts were something along the lines of “This isn’t real life. Stuff like this doesn’t just happen anymore?"
Let me get this straight...
Five men are trapped in a mini-van sized sub, lost in the depths of the ocean near Titanic…the Titanic?! They’re likely either freezing and running out of air, contemplating their own mortality unless rescued soon–OR there is a chance the vessel already imploded, and they’ve been smashed into liquified fish food?!
When I first heard the news about a “DIY” manned submarine being lost at sea whilst attempting to “tour the Titanic,” I genuinely thought someone was explaining the plot of a new horror film. After all, I was scrolling TikTok at the time.
But no, this tragic story was real.
If you somehow haven’t come across the story of Ocean Gate’s* Titan, it reads something like this:
Five super rich guys (4 millionaires and a billionaire, if I’m not mistaken) were trapped in a poorly constructed submersible, piloted by a video game controller. The group lost communication with their surface team 1h 45m into a two hour deep dive descent. Their mission: to tour the notorious Titanic.
Numerous industry professionals claimed that Ocean Gate's vessel, Titan, was unfit for the proposed endeavor, and ran the risk of malfunction (sound familiar?) Disregarding this information, the fateful five signed copious amounts of paperwork, acknowledged their risk of death, and embarked on their journey to a cursed, watery grave.
You can read more about it here.
*I kid you not: it’s not even a cutesy nickname for the scandal behind this tragedy, “Ocean Gate” is the actual name of the company behind the Titan submersible.
I think I’ve seen this film before….and I didn’t like the ending?
If you’re at ALL familiar with the legendary ship Titanic, you’re thinking deja vu. Cruel irony. Perhaps even: “Well, what were they expecting?!” It seems as though no matter how many times people tout the phrase “history repeats itself,” someone has to go and try to beat the odds (which in this case, were not ever in their favor).
So why does all of this pique the interest of a fantasy and lifestyle writer?*
I’ve been asking myself the same question. I’ll be honest, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it, and I know one thing for sure: I’m not alone in that.
Upon further reflection I realized there are actually SO MANY reasons why this story has me hyper fixating upon it’s every update. So let's explore them together!
First, I already have a morbid fascination with Titanic lore, including a nostalgia that surrounds the 90’s film.
I have a profound love of the ocean. (And with that a healthy fear, understanding, and respect of its dangers).
I’m the adventurous type and can appreciate a calculated risk. I love to travel and explore (I am licensed in both Skydiving and SCUBA, and I’ve done both all over the world).
I love fantasy, as you may know, but I also really enjoy historical fiction (hence the fascination with Titanic as a film).
It’s not often real life produces a story so bizarre I find it nearly as captivating, but here we are. The Ocean Gate tragedy intrigues me as a writer for many reasons. I’ll flesh out why, exactly, when we get there.
*Not trying to make this all about me. But this is my blog so my experiences will inform my opinion and thoughts. All of these common links to Ocean Gate's tragedy merely inform my commentary and offer a unique perspective to the greater discussion of the past week's events.
A quick nod to the elephant in the room: they never forget, and neither should we.
Regardless of our individual opinion on this story, there were real lives lost, and people now in mourning. When discussing these kinds of things, a little decency goes a long way.
The events surrounding this tragedy have elicited a great deal of emotional response–from myself, as well as many others with no real ties to the vessel or its passengers. While degrees of sympathy or empathy may vary, I think we can agree this whole thing is just downright unsettling.
I’ve noticed a lot of people can’t seem to discuss this topic without contemplating whether or not sympathy or empathy for these passengers are even deserved. Some hold a strong viewpoint that these were wealthy, arrogant men who knew the risks, and later faced the consequences of poor decisions. I don’t entirely disagree.
However, as a fellow human (well, most of the time) I’d like to remind you that we’re quite complex creatures, capable of feeling multiple emotions at once; thus, rendering a myriad of unique (and valid) responses*.
These were overly-confident men, whose money made them feel invincible, running a fool's errand, and it ended badly. I’ll say it: they fucked around and found out. In the worst way. There’s no denying that. I’m shocked they weren’t deemed a danger to themselves and others prior to the excursion, detained by authorities, and sent for full psych evals, but there’s no reversing time for that now (at least not in this dimension).
Yet I still find all of it deeply tragic, and my sympathies are with their surviving friends and family members.
Bottom line: I think it is entirely possible to feel sympathetic, unsettled, and irritated all at the same time in the wake of unsettling news, and for each of those responses to be acceptable.
Simultaneously, I think there is a way to go about sharing our opinions respectfully. I often find it's less about whether or not a certain topic should be discussed, and more about the manner in which it is discussed.
*I actually found myself laughing at times whilst discussing certain aspects of the implosion to friends and family, not out of disrespect, but out of disbelief. I mean, this feels CRAZY to even be talking about?! Not only the stuff of nightmares, but something I can’t even wrap my head around. (Or can I? Sort of… in an unexpected way?).
It may have been unthinkable to sink the “unsinkable” but this shit won’t get out of my head.
Like many, I started following this story when it was still a “missing submarine” case. I spent two and a half days checking in periodically to see if progress had been made on a rescue. And, like many, the idea of the 5 passengers still being alive and running out of air or freezing to death had me chilled to the bone.
I think what also had me hooked initially was the idea that these people could still be alive, and at any point in time could be rescued and tell their tale. It was the concept of this is happening NOW in real time, that kept it at the forefront of my mind. Ah–the power of breaking news.
When I heard the news the sub had likely imploded, it was late in the day Thursday. I had trouble sleeping that night. The event itself is haunting and unsettling to contemplate, but was I just being weird and overly sensitive? It in no way affects me directly, but the Titan story occupied the vast majority of my thoughts that evening. I had to sort out why.
Luckily, one of my besties (a perpetual night owl and fellow Titanic enthusiast) was awake and eager to process the events from the past few days together.
“I don’t know why but I CANNOT stop thinking about this Titan thing!”
“Girl, I’m so glad you said something because NEITHER CAN I! It’s so crazy and haunting!”
We spent hours exchanging voice memos , TikTok links and gratitude for our shared morbid fascination. A virtual sleepover of sorts that only added to the nostalgia of revisiting Titanic.
My first conclusion was that anything Titanic-adjacent had our immediate attention.
I LOVE Titanic, the film. The basis of the fascination is rooted here, to some degree.
If you grew up in the 90s/Y2K era, you’re likely well aware of the magnitude with which this movie impacted pop culture. I was on the brink of becoming a teenager when the film released and mass hysteria around all things Titanic was in full swing.
We had units covering the ship’s history in school. Merch from the film was rampant everywhere you turned. My Heart Will Go On played incessantly on the radio (bonus points if it was the version with spoken movie lines inserted throughout). At home, my dad was an avid History Channel viewer. We would sit and watch documentaries covering the Titanic, many of which sought to distinguish historical fact from the material embellished for the film.
And, of course, thanks to my older sister, we owned the original 2 part, 3h14m VHS tape boxed set.
Regardless if you were into the whole “Titanic thing” back in the era of Y2K (or ever, really) there is no denying it was a cultural phenomenon of its time, and had the masses obsessing about the topic for years to come. (Spoiler: we’re all still talking about it…).
I think many still yearn for this kind of monoculture. Hence why I think this topic has such a firm, lasting hold on some of us.
While I’m grateful to live in a time where media is so much more diverse, I will admit I sometimes miss the connections monoculture fostered, even if for a brief period of time. There’s something about monoculture that made our past more universally nostalgic in some way. For better or worse, these kinds of moments seem fewer and farther between now, and current events feel more vastly polarizing.
Titan’s disappearance and traumatic implosion, not only created a bizarre, large-scale event that has everyone buzzing in the media, it also compounds upon the existing lore and fascination of Titanic’s wreck. This kind of mass engagement closely mimics a monoculture moment and makes us feel more connected. (It’s just that thing everyone is talking about).
I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to fully separate my fascination with the Titanic itself from the influence of the movie, which was basically ingrained in my own coming of age. But I do know I have a fascination with the ocean, history, lore, legends and all things spooky and supernatural.
Titanic checks all of those boxes. And now Titan is part of the lore.
I see Titanic as a colossal haunted house at the bottom of the ocean that has been anthropomorphized to take on an ominous personality of its own.
From a literary mindset, the Titanic represents the arrogance, greed and superficial display of superiority coveted by high society in the 1900s. Impressive in theory, but flawed in practice, the “unsinkable ship of dreams” was exposed by forces of nature for its weaknesses and pretense. Of course, all of this was fueled by the ego and poor judgment of the men behind its maiden voyage (sound familiar?)
Titanic was physically ripped apart as it was claimed by the Atlantic, in the midst of its catastrophic and traumatic sinking. It was then exiled to a depth of the ocean so sinister, it’s essentially non-compatible with life.
In grade school I heard a theory that Titanic was cursed just for being named as such.
Greek mythology tells tales of Titans–gods who ruled before the Olympians (e.g. Poseidon, god of the sea) defeated them and took over. This is where Titanic supposedly gets its name, due to its massive size and power.
I’m no Greek god, but I can imagine that for humans to build a massive ship tainted with lies, greed and arrogance, name it after the Olympian’s defeated opponent, then attempt to sail it across the world’s second biggest ocean...would be a slap in the face to Poseidon himself.
Speaking of viewing Titanic through literary lenses, more people are becoming aware that Titanic’s fate was ironically foreshadowed in The Wreck of the Titan, or Futility , a novel by Morgan Robertson written in 1889. I’ve rambled on long enough about Titanic lore for now, so you can read more about that here, if you’d like. The parallels are eerie.
Oh, you like adventure? Neat, me too! (I never thought my hobbies would feel tame by comparison).
Fun fact: the Titanic rests around 12.5k ft below sea level.
However, it is so dark and murky down there you would never be able to put your head underwater, look straight down and visualize the wreck. Therefore, it’s difficult to fathom how far down Titanic truly lies unless you’ve been there, or have a concept of that kind of distance.
Ironically, I have a superb idea of what that precise distance looks like, straight down. Where have I seen this number before?
12.5k ft is also the altitude at which skydivers in Colorado exit recreational aircraft.
I know this because I used to jump there on the weekends, as my husband and I spent 7 years living in Denver. Luckily for us, air is clear, giving skydivers visibility all the way to the ground. (Perhaps you can see where I am going with this).
Many of the news articles covering the Titan story have repeatedly stated the depth of Titanic’s remains. Every time I see 12.5k feet I think of our designated jump altitude. Yet it took a few times of skimming past this figure for me to realize I know the absolute value of that distance from a specific perspective.
I immediately started picturing a skydive over a raised Titanic.
THAT’S HOW DEEP THIS F&^$#%@ TIN CAN WAS GOING?!!!!
Again, Ocean Gate's story just doesn’t feel like real life.
I’m also certified with PADI as an Advanced Open Water Diver. This means I’m able to dive down to 30m (just shy of 100 feet). It also means I have a decent foundational understanding of buoyancy, water pressure, and the dangers of exploring different depths of the ocean.
In fact, while recently in the Maldives, I even had the chance to explore a small wreck around that depth and hey, look…I get the fascination with them.
HOWEVER: this was at 30m. One hundred feet.
That’s just under 1/100th of the depth of the Titanic wreck and I already feel like I’m good. I can’t fathom wanting to ever go much deeper to be honest. (And yes, that includes the hypothetical of venturing down inside of a pressurized vessel). No thank you.
I will stick with my deep snorkels and places where the sunlight and sea life can reach.
Just for funsies though, I have been picturing what it would be like to enter the water in my SCUBA kit, but peer under the surface and be able to see straight down 12.5k feet over the Titanic, as if I were about to exit an aircraft at jump altitude.
All it does is reaffirm just how insane this whole Titan thing feels. Unreal.
On top of them piloting it with a LogiTech controller.
On top of industry professionals telling them this isn’t a good idea and their vessel needs work.
On top of the fact that the mission itself was to visit a cursed haunted house-boat in one of the deeper parts of the Atlantic Ocean.
I’ll say it again: it sounds like a movie plot. It’s giving Titanic scifi fanfic. But it’s real life.
You Can’t Make This Shit Up…
As I’ve been saying all along, the Ocean Gate story feels like just that– a story. Stranger than fiction.
I’ll be honest, when I was first trying to make sense of this, the thought did cross my mind: is Hollywood already planning a movie? Have they been watching the suspense and huge emotional response of the masses with wheels spinning?
When I learned that James Cameron (Titanic’s film director) had something to say about the integrity of the technology and fitness of the submersible, I had to wonder if the thought crossed his mind to use this as material for a film concept in the future.
At one point, I was in such disbelief that this was really happening that I concocted a conspiracy theory: what if Hollywood staged the whole thing, and we were just their giant test audience. As if they wanted to make a high-budget film with a similar plot to what happened with the Ocean Gate passengers, but were worried the idea had become too cliche.
This got me thinking about another reason I find the events of Ocean Gate so unsettling: it just doesn’t feel like something a group of people of sound mind and decision making skills would ever do willingly.
It sounds like something people would do under the mind control of an evil villain. A villain who needed disposable, wealthy minions to carry out their bidding.
Alternatively, it struck me as a villainous means of torture (trapped in a freezing cold, pitch black chamber at the bottom of the ocean running out of air) or as a death sentence (sending a vessel to the depths of the ocean knowing it would sink and implode when it reached a specific depth).
The suspense and emotional investment it garners makes it a brilliant evil plan for the plot of a book or film. One not only wonders: will they escape? Be rescued? But it’s also just so damn difficult not to immediately speculate what personally being in that situation could feel like. We can’t help but interject ourselves in that hypothetical situation.
Dark. Icy. Cramped. Low on air.
Knowing you’re living your final moments and what that must feel like. What was said? What did they do? How did they spend their final moments, or did they even know what was happening?
Knowing now that there was an implosion, only raises more questions. Communications were lost with the surface team at 1h 45m. Did the implosion occur at that moment? Just after? Were there warning signs the passengers witnessed that made them aware of their ominous fate?
Reports say the passengers' demise was likely instantaneous and, therefore, painless. I think we can unanimously agree this is the one good piece of news that has come from Titan’s cursed mission.
However, evidence of their self-rescue attempts have been noted–as weight was dropped from Titan prior to implosion. At what point did they know they were really in trouble? What the world wouldn’t do for a black box now.
As to the alleged, mysterious banging noises heard by search teams, I don’t even know where to begin. Were they real or fabricated to lend hope? What was the actual timing of their occurrence in regards to the potential timing of the implosion?
Was a signal from the souls haunting Titanic to leave this place before it's too late?
I’m telling you, it’s the place where fact and fiction collide and my literary brain has been on overdrive.
Careful What You Wish For (You Just Might Get…A Dark Twisted Version of It).
One thing we know for sure is that the human ego is a marvel–a real curious thing. Whenever I sit down to write narrative, I often think “now, why would someone do that?” A great question to ask to see if a plot point makes sense, surly. Motivation is a key driver in developing a character and how they advance the plot. However, human nature is often inexplicable. We don't even always know the why behind our own actions–at least not without deep reflection.
Cue the yogi in me screaming: SO YOU’LL GO 12.5k INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN BUT YOU WON’T PAUSE TO GO DEEP ENOUGH INSIDE YOURSELF TO REFLECT ON THIS COLOSSALLY BAD IDEA?!
These men had every warning thrown at them and they still willingly boarded Titan. We may never know their true motives. Was it really just wanting to see Titanic up close that badly, but on their own terms, that lured them aboard?
It’s like someone made a wish on one of those evil genies that grants your deepest desires, but then twists it and conveniently fails to mention how it will doom your life.
Ultimately, just like their beloved Titanic before them, the passengers of the Ocean Gate Titan certainly left a legacy that will go on…and on.
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