First Titanic Voyage in 14 Years Is Happening in Wake of Submersible Tragedy; Hopes Are High

The Dino Chouest, an offshore supply ship, is docked at the Port of Providence, in Providence, R.I., on July 10, 2024. Steven Senne/AP Photo

PORTLAND, Maine—The company that owns the salvage rights to the Titanic is undertaking its first expedition to the ship’s wreckage in years, and those involved in the mission said they have both heavy hearts and lofty goals for a trip happening a year after a submersible disaster involving another firm killed five people.

RMS Titanic Inc., a Georgia-based firm, holds the legal rights to salvage the wreck of the ship, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1912. The company’s first expedition to the site since 2010 launched Friday from Providence, Rhode Island.