Year after Titan disaster, OceanGate co-founder to organise trip to one of world’s deepest sinkholes

Dean’s Blue Hole is one of the deepest and least explored sinkholes globally. Blue Marble Exploration’s website describes it as “virtually unexplored” and cautions participants to “expect the unexpected.” Its extreme depth and remote location make it inaccessible to even the most experienced divers. The expedition expects to encounter various challenges, including uncharted waters, unforeseen currents, extreme pressure, near-complete darkness, and the potential discovery of human remains.

While the website says “join our expedition”, it is not known whether this comes at a cost similar to the $250,000 Oceangate charged “citizen explorers” to see the Titanic wreckage, where submersible suffered a “catastrophic implosion” due to immense pressure, instantly killing all five passengers on board.

What is the Sapphire Abyss mission

According to the website, the expedition crew involves Sohnlei himself and two other people – science team leader Kenny Broad and chief medical officer Scott Parazynski. The website did not share the exact date of the trip, but maintained it would be carried out in 2024.

The expedition will utilize a crewed submersible equipped with LED lights and underwater drone technology. Scientists will venture into some of Earth’s most inhospitable conditions to search for unprecedented findings. However, concerns about safety linger following the OceanGate incident, as the type of submersible to be used remains undisclosed. Blue Marble Exploration confirmed that the dive will be carried out in classed submersibles and the crew will consist of trained professionals, not tourists.

Söhnlein, who co-founded OceanGate in 2009 with Stockton Rush, expressed his determination to continue deep-ocean exploration despite the tragedy. Rush, who died in last year’s Titan submersible implosion, was among the five crew members who perished during a dive to the Titanic wreckage.

“Let’s figure out what went wrong, let’s learn lessons, and let’s get down there again. It’s important for humanity and the best way to honor the five crew members who gave up their lives doing something they loved,” Söhnlein was quoted as saying by The Independent.