The missing Titan submersible, carrying five passengers to the wreck of the Titanic, has captured the attention of the world.
Details have emerged about each passenger on board, their reasons for going and the concerns with the submersible. An outpouring of empathy and support has washed over social media for the men who each spent $250,000 to explore the wreck of the titanic.
But many on social media are calling out the disproportionate response to the Titan sub in comparison to the recent tragedy off the coast of Greece, in which a boat carrying between 400 and 750 migrants capsized. Only 104 people have been rescued, with 82 found dead and the rest unaccounted for.
What to know:Migrant boat death toll rises to 82 as Greece is criticized for response to capsized boat
Two different responses
The U.S. Coast guard has deployed a search unlike most others to find the missing Titan submersible.
Five vessels were searching the ocean’s surface, with another five expected to join, Capt. Jamie Frederick, the First Coast Guard District response coordinator, said Wednesday. Also on scene are several private vessels including a Bahamian research ship.
By air, three C-130 aircraft and three C-17 transport planes from the U.S. military are scouring the sea in addition to Canadian military aircraft with sound-sensing equipment.
The search is likely to cost taxpayers millions of dollars, Chris Boyer, the executive director of the National Association for Search and Rescue, told USA TODAY’s Chris Kenning.
Dig deeper:For Coast Guard, search for tourist sub near Titanic is a rescue unlike most others
In comparison, a Greek coast guard vessel followed the vessel for hours before it capsized and watched as it sank in minutes.
Greece faces international backlash for their response. Authorities claim that people on the boat insisted they did not want to be rescued and had to make it to Italy. Alarm Phone, a network of activists who run a hotline for migrant boats in distress, told AP that people on the ship were desperate for help.
Furthermore, as NBC reported, under international maritime law, authorities are not only obligated to conduct immediate rescue operations, but they’re also required to do so without any explicit plea for help.
Social media backlash
Some people on social media sites such as Twitter and TikTok are calling out the disproportionate response in media coverage, government action and empathy expressed online.
Different passengers
Many attribute the difference in responses to the difference in people on both vessels.
Among the victims and survivors of the capsized boat in Greece include migrants from Egypt, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Palestine. Between 50 and 100 children were estimated to be on board the ship, reported BBC.
The five members of Titan submersible include British Billionaire Hamish Harding, members of Pakistan’s most prominent families Shahzada Dawood, Suleman Dawood, Paul-Henry Nargeolet, the director of the company that owns the exclusive rights to recover the artifacts from the Titanic wreck, and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.
The number of survivors for both vessels is still undetermined.
Contributing: Chris Kenning and Kate Perez, USA TODAY; Associated Press
