Titanic wreck visits to scaling Everest, the rise and rise of high-risk adventure among the super rich

Extreme expeditions have become increasingly popular among billionaires looking to fulfill their extravagant travel fantasies and the missing Titanic submersible expedition exemplifies this trend. We take a quick look at prominent examples and the motivations driving the affluent to participate in these audacious adventures.

The allure of conquering Earth's pinnacles

In recent years, a remarkable trend has emerged among the world's wealthiest individuals, wherein billionaires have been increasingly venturing into extreme adventures that were once the realm of explorers and scientists. These endeavors have attracted the interest of wealthy individuals who crave extraordinary experiences and are willing to pay a substantial price to partake in these ventures.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you must have caught wind of the missing Titan submersible that has captivated news headlines for the past few days. The submersible was part of a nautical expedition operated by OceanGate which organises trips to witness the remains of the Titanic shipwreck at the bottom of the ocean. 

Among the passengers aboard were two billionaires: Hamish Harding and Shahzada Dawood. Harding, a successful businessman renowned for selling private jets, has a penchant for extreme trips and holds three Guinness world records for his previous endeavours. 

He has already delved into the depths of the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in the world's oceans, and soared to great heights aboard Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin New Shepard rocket. In fact, Harding was part of the team that reached an impressive height of 351,000 feet above Earth during one of Bezos's human flights.

The final frontier

Space tourism has become a coveted experience for the wealthy elite, and companies like Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin have capitalized on this desire. These companies have enabled paying customers to venture into space, offering a taste of weightlessness and a mesmerizing view of Earth. 

Dennis Tito, an American investment manager, is credited with initiating the era of space tourism when he paid a reported $20 million for a week-long trip to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2001. Since then, other billionaires have followed suit, including Google executive Alan Eustace, who made headlines by parachuting from near the top of the stratosphere.

Notable billionaire adventurers in the realm of space travel also include Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson, who successfully completed a suborbital flight, and SpaceX's Elon Musk, who has expressed his intent to colonize Mars. 

Scaling new heights

The appeal of extreme expeditions extends beyond space tourism. There are lesser-known companies that have been facilitating adventures for decades, catering to billionaires' desires to explore untouched wildernesses and conquer great heights. 

For instance, Patrick Woodhead, a record-breaking polar explorer, established White Desert Antarctica, offering luxury trips to the South Pole with prices reaching nearly $100,000 per person.

Mountaineer Garrett Madison leads expeditions up Mount Everest, providing amenities such as gas-powered showers and gourmet meals even at altitudes of 8,000 meters. 

Most recently, Malaysian millionaire Ravichandran Tharumalingam recieved flak for not crediting a sherpa for rescuing him from his Everest expedition.

Even Indian millionaire Suhel Seth of MeToo infamy embarked on a journey to the Antarctic over 10 years ago, documenting his experiences in the South Pole.

These tailor-made experiences ensure that the ultra-wealthy can indulge in their passion for exploration without compromising on comfort.

Delving into new depths

Beyond the Himalayas, the ocean depths have become another captivating frontier for billionaire adventurers. In 201, Victor Vescovo, a private equity investor, became the first person to visit the deepest points of all of Earth's five oceans during the Five Deeps Expedition of 2018–2019, including a dive to the deepest point of the Marianas Trench in a solo submersible.

The missing Titanic submersible, organized by Oceangate and its founder Stockton Rush, offered yet another exclusive adventure for billionaires. The price tag for a ticket on the infamous expedition amounted to $250,000, attracting those few unfortunate folk eager to witness the haunting remnants of the ill-fated ship firsthand. 

Motivations and societal implications

The motivations behind these extreme adventures among billionaires are multifaceted. For some, it is a manifestation of their insatiable thirst for adventure and exploration, an opportunity to push the boundaries of human achievement. Others may view it as a chance to leave an indelible mark on history, immortalizing themselves as pioneers in uncharted territories.

However, this trend also raises questions about wealth inequality and the allocation of resources. Critics argue that these extreme adventures further highlight the growing wealth disparity in society. 

No sympathy from the Internet

While billionaires are spending vast amounts of money on extravagant space trips or deep-sea expeditions, millions of people struggle to meet their basic needs. This disparity in resource allocation fuels concerns about social justice and the equitable distribution of wealth.

The increasing apathy around the situation over social media comes as no surprise in light of the same. In fact, people have even criticised the expediency with which the situation is being handled owing to the VIP status of those on board, in stark contrast to the coverage given to the fishing boat full of migrants traveling from Libya to Italy last week, sinking in Greek waters and drowning hundreds.

The increasing number of extreme expeditions tailored for billionaire clientele showcases their insatiable appetite for unique and exhilarating experiences. Whether it involves delving into the depths of the ocean, venturing into space, or exploring remote and uncharted territories, these individuals are willing to pay grotesque sums of money to realize their wildest travel dreams. 

The story of the missing Titanic submersible serves as a testament to the allure of such expeditions and a cautionary tale for lengths to which the super-rich will go to satisfy their thirst for adventure.