We’re a few days into the search for a missing tourist submarine that vanished while on a trip to survey the ruins of the Titanic dominating headlines. Now, as time for those aboard grows increasingly short, an early video game luminary has thrown his hat into the ring to help find the missing sub.
Richard Garriott, also known in video game circles by the moniker of his alter ego, Lord British, is the creator of the hugely influential Ultima series of computer role-playing games which first originated in 1981. He now serves as president of The Explorers Club, which, its website claims, “has been supporting scientific expeditions of all disciplines, and uniting our members in the bonds of good fellowship for over a century.”
The Titan, the aforementioned tourist submarine which at one point was likely steered using a wireless Logitech controller of all things, lost contact with its support vessel while voyaging to survey the wreckage of the famous 1912 British passenger liner on June 18.
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While much of the internet was either obsessing over the horrifying thought of being trapped in a tin can drifting in the ocean or making memes about how killer whales may (or may not) have had something to do with the rich tourists’ sudden disappearance, Richard Garriott announced his intention to help look for the missing submarine.
In a tweet from Explorers Club, Garriott offered to help with the search-and-rescue mission whilst humbly bragging about how sweet their “multidisciplinary, professional society” membership is.
“Members of The Explorers Club far and wide rallied today to make sure the Titanic expedition search and rescue team is fully aware of the capabilities and experience club members and affiliates are ready to provide, in particular the UK-based Magellan’s 6,000 metre certified ROVs, which have been at the Titanic site many times. This extraordinary membership never ceases to amaze,” Garriott wrote. “We are so grateful for the U.S. Coast Guard, and other international teams and commercial operators doing everything they can to help find the Titanic expedition submersible.”
Kotaku has reached out to Garriott for comment.
Message from President Richard Garriott Regarding the Ongoing Titanic Search and Rescue Mission pic.twitter.com/ec7YX5VQCY
— ExplorersClub (@ExplorersClub) June 21, 2023
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Garriott’s message expressed hope about the likelihood of finding the Titan, which has two members of the Explorers Club aboard. Perhaps referring to the banging sounds reportedly heard around the site of the sub’s disappearance, it said in part, “There is cause for hope, based on data from the field – we understand that likely signs of life have been detected at the site.” Implying that the odds of a positive outcome in the search will be greater with the Club’s involvement, he went on to say, “We continue to work on approval for the Magellan ROVs to be allowed to deploy to the site as we believe they can provide invaluable assistance.”
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