‘The rich yearn for the ocean floor’: Yet another very expensive accident may just prove that the wealthy and the ocean will never get along

To be rich is surely a burden. Oh, the agony of deciding which private jet to take on a weekend getaway, or the sheer exhaustion of having to choose between the Lamborghini or the Ferrari for a quick jaunt to the grocery store.

But the struggles of the wealthy don’t end there. They must push the boundaries, explore the unknown, and conquer the unconquerable. And what better way to do that than by venturing into space or diving into the depths of the ocean? In doing so, they often encounter what might be seen as the curse of riches. Take, for example, a recent accident captured on video by TikTok user @muratgunesresmi.

Here we see a majestic vessel barreling towards a smaller craft at a significant speed given the bow wave visible at its front. The video is captured from the trembling cabin of the smaller boat. And then, in a moment that feels inevitable, the two boats collide. The comments section, as always, is a mine of witty observations and sarcasm. “Millionaire vs billionaire,” quips one user, while another jokes, “titanik.” Another user, with a nod to the fiscal cliff these escapades typically skirt, wrote “It sounds very expensive.” The most poignant comment of all simply states, “the rich yearn for the ocean floor,” highlighting the costly mishaps involving the rich and the ocean.

On June 18, 2023, a high-profile case captured global attention as the submersible Titan, operated by OceanGate, embarked on a deep-sea voyage to give its affluent patrons a glimpse of underwater worlds hidden from the average eye, and explore the wreckage of the Titanic, the infamous ship that sank over a century ago.

Among the passengers was Hamish Harding, a billionaire adventurer who had previously flown to space with Blue Origin. Joining him were Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman, members of one of Pakistan’s wealthiest families. Also on board were Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a Titanic expert, and Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate and the mastermind behind the expedition. Just over an hour into the descent, the Titan lost contact with the surface, sparking a frantic search and rescue operation. Days after the initial investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that the submersible had likely imploded near the Titanic wreckage site, and all five passengers were presumed dead.

And, of course, we’re just weeks out from the sinking of the Bayesian superyacht off the coast of Sicily, which claimed the lives of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and five other people.

It just goes to show that the ocean is the great equalizer. When you’re out there on the waves, you’re just another tiny human in a vast expanse of blue. There’s also a reason why the phrase “smooth sailing” exists – because the ocean is often anything but.