The ultra-luxury expedition ship discovered
the Titania, a German World War I-era vessel, during a submarine
dive—marking the first sighting of the ship in 110 years
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SEATTLE, Oct. 17,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Seabourn, the leader
in ultra-luxury voyages and expedition travel, has made a historic
discovery during a submarine dive off the coast of Alejandro Selkirk Island in Chile's Juan Fernández Archipelago. On
October 14, 2024, Seabourn
Pursuit, the ultra-luxury line's newest purpose-built
expedition ship, uncovered the Titania, a German supplier
ship lost for 110 years. Lying 95 meters below the surface, this
remarkable find marks the first sighting of the Titania
since it was scuttled in 1914.
"Experiences like these are a testament to the spirit of
expedition, and this discovery is nothing short of historic," said
Robin West, vice president and
general manager of expeditions at Seabourn. "Seabourn's expeditions
and particularly our submarine explorations often take our guests
to places where no other human has ever explored. I am so
incredibly proud of our expedition team for delivering this
once-in-a-lifetime and truly unforgettable 'Seabourn Moment' to our
guests and the local community on Selkirk Island."
The discovery of the Titania was made possible through
the submarine team's dedicated research and close coordination
with local communities to provide guests with a truly unique
experience. Led by Submarine Pilot Mauricio Fernandez, the team –
which includes Kieran Buckley,
Henrik Enckell, and Isaac Yebra –
worked with a local fisherman, Gino
Perez, who had long heard stories about the Titania's
approximate location. Perez joined the dive and helped guide the
team toward the suspected site of the wreck. Under ideal weather
conditions, the team discovered the Titania 95 meters deep,
about 4.25 nautical miles off the northwest coast of Selkirk. After
the discovery, the island's harbor master confirmed that no other
diver or submarine had ever visited the wreck before.
Fernandez shared how the emotion in the submarine was palpable.
"We were there witnessing history, and our guests had the chance to
be a part of this discovery of Titania and the first to see
this ship after she sank to the bottom of the ocean 110 years ago.
This was truly a special moment of discovery and a perfect example
of how Seabourn expeditions continue to provide our guests with
incredible Seabourn Moments throughout each journey."
Guests described the feeling when they saw Titania for
the first time: "It was almost magical. It really was quite
extraordinary," said Irene Blum, a
guest who was in the submarine during the discovery.
It was particularly emotional for Perez, who shared, "I imagined
this ship so many times and now I can see where she is, how she
looks like and how she is resting at the bottom. Thank you so much,
my father manages this sector of the island, this means a lot to us
and our family history. This is extraordinary."
Titania was scuttled on November 19, 1914, and stories of the wreck
passed down through generations. While fishermen occasionally
discovered metal fragments in their lobster traps that they
believed belonged to the vessel, the wreck had never been
officially located until now.
South Pacific Itineraries
The discovery took place during one of Seabourn Pursuit's
South Pacific voyages which traversed more than 4,000 miles between
Melanesia, French Polynesia and
San Antonio, Chile. The itineraries have offered guests a
wealth of opportunities for adventure, such as exploring the remote
Juan Fernandez Archipelago off the coast of Chile; spending time at Easter Island;
visiting the volcanic islands of the Pitcairn group across hundreds of miles of
ocean; and exploring the remote Yasawa Islands of Fiji. Seabourn will offer similar deployments
in 2025 featuring four voyages on Seabourn Pursuit: a pair
of 20-day voyages departing March 18,
2025 from San Antonio,
Chile to Papeete, Tahiti; and
October 10, 2025 from Papeete to
San Antonio; an 18-day voyage from
Papeete to Sydney departing
April 7, 2025; and a 16-day Remote
Shores of New Guinea &
Indonesia departing April 24, 2025, from Sydney to Darwin.
Submarine Experiences
Seabourn Pursuit and its sister ship, Seabourn
Venture, feature two custom-built, state-of-the-art submarines
allowing unforgettable exploration beneath the surface. These
cutting-edge engineering marvels provide an extraordinary
opportunity for guests to descend deep below sea level for
close-up, breathtaking views of surreal subsea realms beneath
Antarctic waters and reef walls teeming with marine life in clear,
tropical seas. At select destinations, dives can occur in
unexplored locations that may have not been visited by any humans
yet. Guests are seated in two clear acrylic spheres flanking the
center pilot's station, with an awe-inspiring perspective of the
marine world just outside, thanks to undistorted views in virtually
all directions. The three passenger seats in each sphere are
mounted on a rotating platform that can turn for the best
sightlines.
Submarine experiences are available for an additional charge and
are offered on select itineraries, including Seabourn
Pursuit's South Pacific sailings between March and October 2025.
Operated by highly trained pilots, Seabourn submarines are
certified by Lloyd's Register, with external annual inspections,
utilizing the same standards by which Seabourn ships are rated and
certified. The submarines are built with a multitude of safety
design features, including a safety buoy and maximum diving depths
of 300 meters (less than 1,000 feet), and there is a surface boat
that remains near the submarines throughout each dive and is in
constant communication with the submarine.
For more details about Seabourn, or to explore the worldwide
selection of Seabourn cruising options, call Seabourn at
1-800-929-9391, visit www.seabourn.com or contact a
professional travel advisor.
About Seabourn:
Seabourn represents the pinnacle of ultra-luxury ocean and
expedition travel and operates a suite of six modern ships. The
all-inclusive, boutique ships offer all-suite accommodations with
oceanfront views; award-winning dining; complimentary premium
spirits and fine wines available at all times; renowned service
provided by an industry-leading crew; a relaxed, sociable
atmosphere that makes guests feel at home; a pedigree in expedition
travel through the Ventures by Seabourn program and two new
ultra-luxury purpose-built expedition ships, including Seabourn
Venture that launched in 2022 and Seabourn Pursuit in 2023.
Seabourn takes travelers to every continent on the globe, visiting
more than 400 ports including marquee cities and lesser-known ports
and hideaways. Guests of Seabourn experience extraordinary
offerings and programs, including partnerships with leading
entertainers, dining, personal health and wellbeing, and engaging
speakers.
Seabourn is a brand of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE/LSE:
CCL and NYSE: CUK).
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YouTube and Pinterest.
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