Billionaire Larry Connor Takes On The Titanic: Here's What He Hopes To Find On The Expedition

Forbes

Larry Connor pushes back on the narrative that he is just another wealthy tourist seeking to see the wreck—instead, alongside Triton Submarines CEO Patrick Lahey, Connor plans to showcase a new one-of-a-kind submersible and points to the potential for scientific discoveries.  Read the full story on Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2024/06/11/what-this-real-estate-billionaire-larry-connorand-triton-sub-entrepreneur-are-hoping-to-find-on-planned-mission-to-the-titanic-wreck/  Subscribe to FORBES: https://www.youtube.com/user/Forbes?sub_confirmation=1  Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:  https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript  Stay Connected Forbes newsletters: https://newsletters.editorial.forbes.com Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes More From Forbes:  http://forbes.com  Forbes covers the intersection of entrepreneurship, wealth, technology, business and lifestyle with a focus on people and success.

Transcript

00:00Today on Forbes, what this real estate billionaire and sub-entrepreneur

00:05hoped to find on planned mission to the Titanic wreck.

00:10In the past three years, Larry Conner has traveled to space,

00:14ventured to the deepest point in the Earth's oceans,

00:17and broken the world record for the highest skydive.

00:20In May, Conner, the founder of Dayton, Ohio-based real estate investment firm The Conner Group,

00:26made a splash by announcing his latest mission,

00:30an expedition to the shipwreck of the Titanic, which sank in 1912

00:34and now lies at 12,500 feet below sea level.

00:39Speaking to Forbes from his office in Dayton days after the announcement,

00:43Conner, worth an estimated $2 billion,

00:46revealed that the expedition will cost between $13 million and $15 million,

00:52most of which will be spent to develop a new, one-of-a-kind submersible

00:56in a joint venture with Triton Submarines.

00:59The Florida-based firm, which counts billionaire Ray Dalio

01:03and movie director James Cameron as investors,

01:06will spend the next two and a half years on research and development

01:09with a planned launch date for the summer of 2026.

01:13It's been a mere 11 months after the deadly Ocean Gate disaster,

01:17in which five passengers died when their submersible imploded on the way to the wreck.

01:22Conner pushed back on the narrative that he is just another wealthy tourist

01:26seeking to see the Titanic.

01:28He says,

01:38We're doing multiple research dives.

01:40In that North Atlantic area, there's hydrothermal vents and seamounts,

01:44both of which hold real interest

01:46because there's been very, very limited scientific research.

01:51Conner will co-pilot the submersible alongside Patrick Lahey,

01:55Triton's co-founder and CEO,

01:57making it the second time the duo has dived together.

02:00In 2021, Conner and Lahey conducted three dives in the Mariana Trench,

02:05voyaging to the Serena Deep, which is 35,150 feet below sea level,

02:11the Challenger Deep, which is 35,876 feet below sea level,

02:15the deepest point on Earth,

02:17and a seamount, which is an underwater mountain.

02:21They became the first humans to see and film the rare Mariana snailfish

02:25in its natural habitat,

02:27and recovering samples of bacterial mats and deep-sea anemones.

02:31Lahey says,

02:33The Titanic angle is obviously the thing that captivates people's interest and attention,

02:38but this project is about so much more than that.

02:41Lahey points to the scientific research that he plans to carry out at the Titanic site.

02:46He says,

02:47There are over 100,000 seamounts all over the world,

02:50and the vast majority of them are completely unexplored.

02:54These seamounts are like islands in the deep sea that are isolated from everything else,

02:58and the animal life that's developed on them is unique.

03:03Besides the potential for scientific discoveries,

03:05the other main objective of the expedition is building the submersible itself.

03:10Dubbed the Explorer,

03:12the two-seater sub will have a transparent 18-inch thick acrylic hull,

03:16offering a 320-degree view of the ocean floor,

03:19and will be powered by a battery similar to those used in electric cars.

03:23Lahey says,

03:25A transparent sub that can go to 4,000 meters, or 13,100 feet,

03:30that's never been done before.

03:33Connor adds,

03:34From a research, viewing, and filming perspective,

03:37it'll be unprecedented.

03:40The impetus for the expedition came one day after the Ocean Gate disaster in June 2023,

03:45when Connor called Lahey to ask for his thoughts on what went wrong.

03:49After hearing about the implosion,

03:51Connor wanted to know if a similar expedition could be done safely,

03:54and the two started working together on the joint venture last September.

03:58Both Connor and Lahey emphasized that the Explorer, like all Triton subs,

04:03but unlike the Ocean Gate vessel,

04:05will be rigorously tested by DNV,

04:08a Dutch company that certifies maritime vessels to ensure that they can operate safely.

04:13Lahey, touting his firm's products, says,

04:17Statistically speaking, these submersibles are much safer than the car you get into without thinking about it.

04:24For full coverage, check out Giacomo Tagnini's piece on Forbes.com.

04:30This is Kieran Meadows from Forbes.

04:32Thanks for tuning in.

04:43For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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