HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA: Just two months before the Oceangate submersible vanished with five tourists onboard, a NASA astronaut had spoken highly of the vessel exploring the wreck of the Titanic. Dr Scott Parazynski reportedly became a part of the Titanic Survey Expedition two years ago and claimed to see “things that maybe human eyes have never seen before” in a YouTube video.
Dr Parazynski said, as per the Daily Mail, “It's tougher to go to the bottom of the ocean than it is to the far side of the moon. We saw things that maybe human eyes have never seen before.”
'Well-engineered and very safe'
He went on to say, “Every time you take to the sea, you know there are so many things that have to go right. All the electrical systems and navigation systems that have to check out this is a very complex vehicle,” before mentioning that the vessel named Titan, built of carbon fiber and titanium, “is very well engineered and very safe and the team is very focused on safety first.”
The YouTube video also featured Software Security Expert Aaron Newman, who added, “This is not a ride at Disney. There are a lot of real risks involved.” However, Master Chef Chelsea Kellogg asserted that there’s “not one second of me experiencing anything from OceanGate have I ever felt unsafe.”
Who is Dr Scott Parazynski?
According to the Space Generation Advisory Council, Parazynski is a prominent “physician, astronaut, and tech CEO, recently inducted into the US Astronaut Hall of Fame.” He worked with NASA for almost two decades before founding Fluidity Technologies Inc.
According to reports, Parazynski has not only been to space but also became the first astronaut to summit Mount Everest in 2009. Besides, he is also a skilled “scuba diver and commercial, instrument, multi-engine, and seaplane-rated pilot with more than 2,500 flight hours” and has experience executing “a NASA-sponsored scientific dive in the caldera lake of the 19,700-foot Licancabur volcano, the world’s highest lake,” NASA's Science Mission Directorate says.
‘I cannot imagine the fear’
Meanwhile, the social media video ‘Titanic Expedition Dive Experience 2023’ has received a lot of attention online. A person commented below it, “Watching this video about the safety and top-of-the-line technology, and knowing now that today they are missing is extremely unsettling. I have the Titanic VR experience and it was a wonderful way to see the tragedy that unfolded that night and then to take a deep dive down in the virtual sub to the wreckage was exhilarating. That's enough for me, I only pray that they find the missing sub and that everyone on board makes it back to the surface.”
Another said, “I have followed along for the longest time now. I am so saddened to hear of the situation right now. My thoughts are with you all & your families in this stressful time. Praying for the best outcome. xoxo From New Zealand.” “I am hoping for a miracle. I cannot imagine the fear the 5 on board are feeling. My anxiety is crazy,” a third added.
