Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Twitter, has broken his silence about the missing research submarine that was visiting the Titanic wreckage. OceanGate Expeditions, the company operating the sub, had previously expressed gratitude for Musk’s Starlink service, which provided internet access during their expedition in the North Atlantic Ocean. However, the connection between Starlink and the sub was merely a psyop, according to Musk. The sub, which tourists can pay $250,000 to board on a visit to the Titanic, has been lost, and its passengers are missing. Reports suggest that the sub’s life support will run out soon, making search efforts crucial. The expedition company also operates surface vessels that support internet connection. Though Musk’s response implies no evidence suggests that Starlink played any role in the sub’s disappearance, it is still unclear if the company used Starlink for internet connectivity.
Despite defenders of Musk pointing out that the sub’s depth would make it impossible for Starlink to provide internet access, OceanGate Expeditions never claimed to be using the internet to communicate with the sub. Journalist David Pogue, who toured the sub before its voyage, revealed that the ship was lost for around five hours while he was onboard. In that period, the crew could still send short texts to the command vessel. The company shut off internet access to the journalists on the command ship to prevent updates about the sub’s loss. It’s unclear why the sub’s occupants could not text the command vessel, and it is worth noting that the submarine’s voyage came under scrutiny for safety concerns before its disappearance.
The missing passengers include British billionaire and explorer Hamish Harding, French maritime expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, British businessman Shahzada Dawood, his son Suleman Dawood, and OceanGate Expeditions CEO Stockton Rush. The US Coast Guard has warned that there is little time left to rescue the crew, who have less than 40 hours’ worth of air left in the vessel. Despite search efforts by the coastguard and the US Navy, the sub’s location remains unknown. The incident has prompted discussions about installing a locator beacon for safety purposes.
In conclusion, Elon Musk’s Starlink service has caught attention following OceanGate Expeditions’ tweets, but Musk’s response suggests no connection between Starlink and the loss of the Titanic submarine. The incident highlights safety concerns surrounding submersible vessels. The passengers’ safety remains at stake, and the focus should be on finding and rescuing them as quickly as possible.
