Former passengers of Titanic sub recount their chilling journeys visiting Titanic wreck
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: Mike Reiss/American Photo Archive/Alamy Stock Photo
The news that all of us feared would be coming was announced yesterday (22 June), with the US Coast Guard confirming the missing Titan sub had 'imploded' and suffered 'catastrophic failure'.
The five men onboard; Hamish Harding, Stockton Rush, Paul-Henry Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood and his son Sulaiman are believed to be dead.
People have raised concerns surrounding the safety of OceanGate expedition in the past, with some pointing out the voyage is not even regulated.
Many explorers and even Titanic junkies have embarked on the excursion over the years, with some now sharing their experiences on the sub.
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Before yesterday's tragic news was announced, Dr Michael Guillen - the first TV correspondent to visit the remains of the Titanic back in 2000 - recalled his experience on the sub where it became stuck in the Titanic's propeller.
Not everyone who has embarked on the journey had such a traumatic time though, with Chelsea Kellog being one of those.
She went to visit the Titanic wreckage in July 2022, sharing a glimpse of her experience in an Instagram post.
The post included a photo of her from inside the OceanGate submersible, alongside a bunch of videos.
"My lifelong dream of seeing the Titanic has come true!" Kellog captioned the post.
"After 13 years of trying, patience and persistence pulled through. I am still trying to process the whole experience. I’m still crying. Still overwhelmed by all the emotions."
She also thanked the OceanGate team for taking her on the voyage.
CBS correspondent David Pogue is another person who went aboard the vessel in 2022, though in an interview with People, he recalled a few questionable aspects.
While mentioning the video game controller pilots use to control the vessel, he said: "They use rusty construction pipes as ballast."
Pogue added: "There are 18 bolts around the hatch, and the crew bolts you in from the outside. And I remember it was odd that they put in only 17 of the 18 bolts. The 18th one is way up high, and they don't bother with that one. They say it makes no difference. But little things like that."
While the voyage is regarded as a once in a lifetime opportunity, Mike Reiss has been to the Titanic wreckage four times.
Speaking with ABC News, he explained that 'every time they lost communication - that seems to be just something baked into the system'.
He added: "It is always in the back of your head that this is dangerous, and any small problem will turn into a major catastrophe."
Fred Hagen is another one who has been on the voyage - someone who has been in the news lately as he is a friend of Paul-Henri Nargeolet - one of the five passengers who was onboard the missing sub.
Describing his experience, Hagen said: "You're in a titanium tube that’s about 20 feet long … So you can’t get out unless somebody unbolts it.
"And you clearly understand and you sign off that you understand that this is a highly risky endeavor that could result in death."