The submersible

Jenny and I have been following the search for the missing Titanic-viewing submersible with great interest, not just out of idle curiosity but because the thing is extraordinary on so many levels.

• Extraord-inary that the three passengers were willing to take such huge risks descending 13,000 feet into the ocean in what looked like a glorified cigar tube never officially approved for the purpose and described as "experimental". They even had to sign a document stating that the operator accepted no liability for personal harm - including death - or for any adverse reactions from the trip.
• Extraordinary that two members of the same family - Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman - were both on the trip, despite the possibility they could both die.
• Extraordinary that the submersible ceased to transmit its location, so rescue vessels had to search a massive area to try and find it.
• Extraordinary that people want to view the wreckage of the Titanic close-up in such a dangerous fashion when they could google images of the wreckage at any time.
• Extraordinary that so many oceanic experts like the Marine Technology Society had criticised the submersible as being badly designed and not fit for purpose, but were unable to stop it being used.
• Extraordinary that the cost of the totally frivolous trip was around $250,000 (£195,000), which only very wealthy thrill-seekers could afford.

Now that parts of the submersible have been found, it looks like it imploded as a result of some structural failure. The bodies of those on board are presumably lying somewhere on the sea bed and may never be found.

On thing's for sure - OceanGate, the trip's organisers, have a lot of very awkward questions to answer.

Pic: Hamish Harding, the billionaire on board the submersible