To think it’s ironic all the stops are being pulled to rescue 5 people from a submarine

[MrsMillhouse]

Yet…. The world allows a boat with hundreds including children to sink

Migrant boats have been described in various terms of the danger they present to their occupants. The people smugglers and the migrants themselves know the dangers, but those fleeing their home countries for whatever reason, see no alternative. So they pay their money to the people smugglers and risk their lives for the promise of a better life.

The safety of the submersible has been described in much the same terms. It has no accreditation, is described as experimental and is controlled by a ten year old Xbox video controller. Participants in previous journeys have described it as appearing to be patched together in places, and have said that loss of communication with the surface happens several times each journey. A journalist who participated in a journey which saw the submersible trapped for a time behind the propellor of the Titanic considers himself lucky to be alive. The waiver passengers are asked to sign contains the words “This experimental vessel has not been approved or certified by any regulatory body”.

The difference is that the people boarding the submersible know the dangers but they pay their money to OceanGate and risk their lives for a thrill, visiting what is essentially a grave site which should be recognised and respected as such, and left alone.

I hope and pray that they are found alive, and that when they are, they are made to pay for the search and rescue operation. I also hope and pray that there will be an extensive investigation into the activities of OceanGate because as far as I can see, like the people smugglers, they know the dangers but are prepared to risk the lives of their customers for profit.

I think they are working on cooperating with governmenta of where boats originate. Which is probably only way to reduce numbers realistically. Lybia recentlyhad some movement on this

In respect of who was on the boat crossing the Med, even The Guardian states that most were Pakistani nationals who were in search of a better life, not asylum seekers. FWIW, I'm not saying that to denigrate them, but please can we stop the narrative that they were fleeing from violence or other ill treatment in their country of origin. There have been numerous reports that they had tried to get to Europe in order to work and send money home due to the current economic situation in Pakistan. I'm stressing that I still feel for them, but it's really not the way to improve lives is it?

I fundraise for the RNLI and my H is a volunteer (on the Thames, not the Channel and I have had numerous people telling me they won't donate any more because the RNLI are contributing to the smugglers profits ☹️

I agree with you. I think both of the ends of narrative are unhelpful.

That's interesting. Do you know whether the backlash against trafficking is enough to make a material dent in the RNLI's finances?

My DP's uncle is a volunteer for the RNLI - and was a coastguard previously. He said the RNLI has huge amounts of money so much so that they wouldn't want government funding as the RNLI isn't political.

He also said they are getting a lot of people complaining about their involvement in rescuing asylum seekers.

What they do is amazing there's absolutely no doubt about that.

Yes.Some people on.here enjoy the thought that the world let the poor folk die but went to the aid of the rich. That wasn't what happened at all.

I don' think the comparison is fair. The same amount of coverage, interest and global assistance went into the rescue of the Thai football team boys from the caves in Thailand.

It is one of the nicer sides of human nature that we pull together and want to assist those that find themselves in dire straights and in need of rescue.

My heart goes out to them and their families - I cannot imagine anything worse than either going through this myself or a loved one going through this.

Well, that is what happened, but I don't think anyone is enjoying that fact.

@BCCoach thanks, I had no idea!

Surely the submarine is more newsworthy as it’s such an unusual event. Sadly migrant boats capsize/sink with more regularity so people can become desensitised.
I hate whataboutary though, 5 souls shouldn’t be rescued because people are crossing waters in small boats? One has nothing to do with the other.
I feel bad for the 19 year old though, even if it was his decision to go with his dad, he wouldn’t be there without him.

Surely the submarine is more newsworthy as it’s such an unusual event. Sadly migrant boats capsize/sink with more regularity so people can become desensitised

Ah OK. Maybe I'm just one of those weirdos that isn't bored with hearing about families drowning 🤷‍♀️

You can start a thread on another topic though, rather than post on titanic sub ones

If you don’t want to hear about the latter

Gosh, you really don't give up. Why don't you start that other thread right now?

not as much opportunity to virtue signal I suppose

I'm sure he has empathy for the people on the boats. I'm pretty sure he fell out with Boris about the Rwanda debacle, but he actually knows one of the people in the sub so presumably that's why he wishes to be kept informed. Poor bloke can't do right for wrong.

Agree @neilyoungismyhero although re the info re KC, those on this thread who seem ghoulishly pleased that there's possibility 'rich people' may die, that's going to further fuel their ire if those on the sub survive or glee if they can't be rescued.

I'll just point you to the OP.

I didn’t say ‘bored’ I said ‘ desensitised’ - different meanings. No-one’s life is worth more than another’s whether they’re migrants or millionaires.
it’s making headlines because it’s so unusual an event. Do you not understand that?

Of course some people's life is more than others. Someone who has made many advances in medicine's life is worth more than a repeat offender paedophile's life. That's an exaggerated extreme example but the point still applies.

True.

People don't like it admit it aloud but I think instinctively most people agree with this, with the exception of maybe some religious people.

Newspapers play on this all the time.
"mum/dad/nan of 2 was tragically killed."
People value other's lives on numerous metrics.
Do they have children? Wealth? Sad story? Victorious story? Anything can be indicator of value to someone. Especially if it's somehow emotional and relatable or they wish to be that.

There were no children. 400 survived and no children either in that number. I am sure if there had been women and children they would have been given priority and at least one survived.