Will the Titan disaster tank the submersible tourism industry?

Debris from the Titan submersible, recovered from the ocean floor near the wreck of the Titanic, is unloaded from the ship Horizon Arctic at the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St. John's, Newfoundland on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. – The Canadian Press via AP

ANNITA Thomas felt nervous about her first small submersible dive in the Sea of Cortez, off California's coastline, in April 2023. The worry dissipated quickly as the seven-passenger underwater vehicle dipped below the surface of the water, leaving behind the Scenic Eclipse discovery yacht from which her adventure started. The sound of pilot transmitting periodic safety checks was a comfort amid the thrill.

"I'm really glad I did it," says the on-air host of Travel with Annita, recalling the 360-degree views of the sea bottom from the submersible's transparent acrylic hull, at a depth just shy of 1,000 feet. "I don't think I would do it now," she adds, citing the implosion of OceanGate Expedition's Titan.