Is it moral to visit the Titanic?

Do we really need to go down there?

I know I’m a wee bit late with this topic, but writing this article has been on my mind ever since the tragedy occurred.

We’ve all heard about the Titan submersible carrying five people imploding after it lost contact, thereby killing everyone, including a 19-year-old and his father who convinced him to go down to see the wreck.

Now the question we have to ask after this tragedy, is if it’s moral to visit the Titanic even after more than 100 years after its sinking?

Now we can all agree that the wreck site is a graveyard to those over 1,500 souls lost that tragic night. Like any normal graveyard on land, people visit the graves of their loved ones, put flowers, leave toys and teddy bears and in some cultures, food. There are other grave sites, which people visit where war heroes are buried. A good example is The Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC. Most of us bear no relation to those buried there, but we go there for many reasons. One being it is a tourist attraction. Similarly, Gettysburg where the worst battle took place during the American Civil War killing many also attracts tourists. Archeologists and some civil war buffs may find an artifact or two unearthed either naturally or by someone seeking to find a souvenir. In the same way, the place where the Titanic rests is a historical site, and has many interesting artifacts from that time period. Thankfully some of them have been collected before they were lost for all time to come.

With all things being similar, there is one major difference; the wreck is 12,000 feet below the surface. So getting there either walking or taking a bus or car isn’t an option like it is with Arlington National Cemetery and Gettysburg. In fact, a lot time, money and preparation have to take place to visit that watery graveyard. People are risking their lives when they enter a submersible, which won’t be the case if it were on land.

A lesson can be drawn from this tragedy. Due to the area being dangerous, it is best that tourists stay away from the wreck and plan to visit a museum, which has artifacts salvaged from there. In that way, they can admire period pieces and other items and pay homage to those unfortunate souls from the safety of a museum on dry earth versus risking their lives underwater.

Some Titanic survivors who lost their loved ones were appalled when they heard that submarines were poking around the sea bed for artifacts or valuable items. To them, it is the final resting place of their loved ones, and they didn’t want someone disturbing their dead relatives’ eternal slumber.

Therefore, in my opinion companies like OceanGate that offer a submarine service to visit the wreck should refrain from doing so. The tragedy on that cold April day in 1912 took the lives of many people. We don’t need to add more to the death count. Scientists have taken pictures of the wreck and we can see how it looks after more than a century under water. We should be satisfied with that and not put ourselves in danger by going there and adding ourselves to the list of those who lost their lives like the five last year. Nothing is worth killing yourself over and you’re more of an asset to mankind alive than dead.

I would love to hear what people have to say about this opinion of mine, so please leave comments and read the other two articles (links below) about the Titanic.

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