Follow the latest news on the missing Titanic sub here
Stockton Rush, the man behind the missing Titanic submarine, has a dream: to revolutionise underwater travel in a manner akin to how industry giants such as Elon Musk, Richard Branson, and Jeff Bezos are reshaping space travel.
The owner of Oceangate, the company that operates the submersible, is believed to be on board Titan with British billionaire Hamish Harding, Shahzada and Suleman Dawood and Paul Henry Nargeolet.
Before the latest mission, he said of his first dive in the sub: “This is amazing. It’s just such a different experience. It’s a totally different emotion.”
His long-held plans to open up the depths to tourists were revealed in a TV programme.
The pioneer of deep-sea exploration guided a group of paying adventurers to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean to explore the world's most famous wreck, the Titanic.
Mr Rush explained: "This is not your grandfather’s submarine. It has one button, and that’s it. We run the sub with this game controller. It’s made by Logitech but it’s basically a Sony PlayStation style controller".
The expedition, which was filmed for an episode of the BBC Travel programme, was a major milestone in Mr Rush's quest to make deep-sea exploration more accessible.
He appeared on the programme wearing a branded polo shirt, talking excitedly about his dream of diving and exploring famous locations.
“I read an article that said there are three words in the English language which are known throughout the planet,” Mr Rush said. “That's Coca-Cola, God and Titanic.”
Mr Rush imagines a future where anyone – provided they have the financial means – can embark on adventurous voyages to uncharted depths, with no special training required.
To Mr Rush, the founder of a venture aimed at democratising deep-sea exploration, the site of the world's most infamous shipwreck was a compelling lure, a “must-do dive”.
Transforming this Titanic dream into reality was no small feat. Mr Rush had to pioneer a new class of submersible, engineered from lightweight materials capable of conveying up to five people from the ship to the depths where the Titanic rests.
Many doubted the feasibility of such an ambitious undertaking.
Nevertheless, Mr Rush proved the sceptics wrong when he successfully reached the wreck site last year.
In the episode, which was broadcast in October 2022, the explorer was accompanied by the crew, OceanGate staff, scientists, and the so-called “mission specialists”.
This critical contingent of paying adventurers had each parted with up to $250,000 for the unique opportunity to see Titanic up close.
Aside from the sheer thrill of the expedition, the mission specialists were also given the chance to contribute as citizen scientists. They were responsible for capturing images and video footage of the deep-sea biodiversity, thereby playing a role in broadening our understanding of these largely unexplored realms.
Who is Stockton Rush?
Mr Rush's career began in aviation, becoming the youngest jet transport rated pilot at the age of 19.
During college, he journeyed to exotic destinations such as Cairo and Damascus as a DC-8 first officer.
Over the last two decades, Mr Rush has been instrumental in various successful intellectual property ventures, including a significant role in BlueView Technologies' acquisition by Teledyne Inc.
Mr Rush constructed a Glasair III experimental aircraft and a modified Kittredge K-350 two-man submersible, conducting over 30 dives.
An alumnus of Princeton University and UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, Mr Rush has penned numerous engineering articles and spoken widely on the burgeoning ocean economy.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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