First dive to Titanic shipwreck since sub disaster will take place this month despite complications

Another expedition to the wreck of the Titanic is set to go ahead, despite complications.

Even in 2024, superstition around the sea is still very much a thing, and not without good reason.

So it's perhaps not surprising that tensions have been a little high around the latest expedition to the wreck of the Titanic - the first since the OceanGate disaster.

The disaster - which took place in June last year - saw five people lose their lives when the submersible they were using suffered a 'catastrophic implosion' under the enormous pressure of the deep ocean.

With that still in the back of people's minds when it comes to venturing down to the Titanic wreck, it's understandable that many are concerned about the prospects of another expedition.

Among those that have been apprehensive is the US federal government, which, according to reports, tried to block the expedition last year.

But there is one big difference with this expedition making it significantly safer.

The titan sub suffered a 'catastrophic implosion' last year. (OceanGate/Becky Kagan Schott)

That is that it will not actually be sending any people down to the wreck at all.

Similar to space travel, the cost and technical challenges of mounting expeditions to the depths of the ocean increases exponentially once you factor in getting people there and back again in one piece.

While there are submersibles that can take humans to the Titanic, using remotely-operated vehicles is a way to explore the site without directly endangering anyone.

The expedition is being run by RMS Titanic Inc, a company which has rights to conduct salvage operations in the Titanic wreck site.

On the trip - which is scheduled to go ahead this month - the team will scout for any objects which they may be able to salvage on future expeditions, though the company confirmed it will not be trying to enter the ship itself.

RMS Titanic Inc says its mission is 'to preserve the legacy of Titanic and her passengers and crew, not just through artifact recovery, but also through continuous research, imaging, and educational initiatives'.

The team behind the upcoming expedition. (X/@RMSTitanic_Inc)

And there is one item in particular which the team hopes to locate and retrieve in a future expedition.

This is the Marconi wireless system, which was a state of the art system at the time of the Titanic's sinking.

It was this very system which sent the distress signal from the stricken ship before it sank in April 1912.

It's said that the US federal government previously cited federal law and an agreement which classed the wreck as a 'gravesite'.

However, RMS Titanic Inc since gained permission, explaining that it is trying to disturb the wreckage as little as possible during the operation.

UNILAD has reached out to RMS Titanic Inc for more information.