Billionaire plans trip to Titanic wreckage 11 months after submarine tragedy

Nearly a year after the Titan submersible's tragic implosion, Ohio billionaire Larry Connor plans to prove deep-sea tourism's safety. Connor, a real-estate investor, aims to dive to the Titanic wreck at 12,400 feet with Triton Submarines co-founder Patrick Lahey. They will use the Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer, a $20 million vessel designed by Lahey. Connor wants to show that deep-sea exploration can be safe and transformative if done correctly. The Titan's implosion, caused by structural failure due to inadequate design and ignored safety warnings, led to five deaths and widespread criticism. In response, Connor asked Lahey to build a submersible that can safely and repeatedly reach Titanic depths. Lahey, a critic of OceanGate's lax safety standards, has helped develop the certified DSV Limiting Factor. The timing of Connor and Lahey's voyage is yet to be announced.