BU Today – Fascination with Titanic Underscores Dangers of Extreme Tourism
The 5 person crew submerged Sunday morning, and the crew of the Polar Prince lost contact with them approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes into the vessels dive. (OceanGate photo)
What was supposed to be an eight-hour trip to view the wreckage of the Titanic is now looking like a largely avoidable tragedy. The harrowing search for the Titan ended Thursday, as the US Coast Guard announced they found evidence that the submersible vessel had probably imploded and all five passengers were believed to be dead. The Coast Guard found pieces of the Titan on the ocean floor about 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic.
BU Today spoke with Arun Upneja, dean of Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration, about the extreme tourism industry and what might change in the aftermath of the Titan disaster.