Who was Titan passenger Paul-Henri Nargeolet? Why was he known as Mr. Titanic?

Out of all of the five passengers who lost their lives in the OceanGate Titan submersible implosion, 77-year-old Paul Henri Nargeolet was by far the most experienced in sea exploration. He died near the Titanic wreck which he had successfully visited 37 times before, as the vessel descended during another expedition to view the remains of the famous ocean liner.

Nargeolet was an underwater explorer and deep-sea diver who was born on February 20, 1947 in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, southeastern France. He gained fame for his involvement in the exploration and study of the RMS Titanic wreck.

Investigations into the OceanGate Titan disaster “still ongoing”

One year on from the disaster, US and Canadian authorities are still actively investigating the factors and technical issues that caused the submersible’s implosion. While the submersible and its occupants perished in international waters, the vessel set off from from Canadian waters, towed by a Canadian ship, Polar Prince. The US Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation said its investigation is a “complex and ongoing effort” that will take longer than they had initially envisaged.

PH Nargeolet: A lover of the deep

Nargeolet’s career began in the French Navy, where he served as an officer specializing in mine clearance, diving, and deep underwater intervention. He began his career as a commercial diver in the 1970s and later became an experienced technical diver. In 1987, he joined a team led by fellow Frenchman, oceanographer Jean-Louis Michel to recover artifacts from the wreck of the Titanic, which had sunk in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1912.

The team successfully located the wreck using side-scan sonar, and Nargeolet played a crucial role in subsequent expeditions to the site. At the time of his death, Nargeolet was director of underwater research for RMS Titanic Inc., which had ownership of items salvaged from the ship.

PH Nargeolet: Well-respected deep-sea expert

Due to his extensive knowledge and expertise in diving and exploring the Titanic wreck, Nargeolet became widely recognized and respected in the field. He became known as “Mr. Titanic” due to his long-term involvement and intimate connection with the ship and its remains.

His love for deep-sea diving earned him comparisons to the famous undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau. Nargeolet’s colleagues have expressed that his death is a great loss to their community.

The explorer participated in numerous expeditions to the Titanic wreck, serving as a leader in various missions. He played an important role in the scientific research and documentation of the site, helping not only to recover artifacts but also to map the wreckage.

Nargeolet’s contributions to the exploration of the Titanic have provided valuable insights into the ship’s final resting place and the events surrounding its tragic sinking.

Nargeolet describes death at the bottom of the sea

After the deep-sea expert’s death in the Titan implosion, there was renewed interest in an interview he had with the Titanic Channel, where he explained what could happen if you were stuck at the bottom of the sea. It appeared as if he were describing the details of his own possible death.

In an interview with The Times on the first anniversary of the Titan disaster, the explorer’s daughter Sidonie revealed that neither she nor any of the families who lost loved ones have been contacted by the beleaguered company, OceanGate Expeditions.

Sidonie says that she is able to find solace in the knowledge that at least her father passed doing what he enjoyed most. “I think what he did is beautiful. I think it’s courageous. He must have been super happy. His favourite thing was to see the Titanic. He had a very good death. He died healthy, with his mind intact and living his passion,” she told The Times.