Search for the Lost Extreme Sightseeing Tourist, Who Pays the Fees?
The search and rescue cost of the Titan mini-submarine must be expensive. The US Coast Guard cannot seek reimbursement as it is their responsibility.
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The mini submarine Titan belonging to OceanGate, which went missing near the wreck of the RMS Titanic, on June 18, 2023.
When millionaire American adventurer Steve Fossett disappeared along with his plane in the dense jungles of the Sierra Nevada, California, in 2007, a massive search and rescue operation was launched. The wreckage of the plane was found and identified as Fossett's. While Fossett's remains, only one bone fragment was found which at that time was suspected to be Fossett.
When the search operation was halted, questions arose. Who should finance the search and rescue operation? The same question arose again when the mini submarine Titan went missing underwater near the RMS Titanic wreckage last week. The issue of "who should pay" has sparked public debate.
"The cost is definitely unreasonable. After the mourning period has passed, many people begin to question why the public should spend money on rescue efforts if these individuals are wealthy enough to embark on expensive and high-risk adventures like that," said Arun Upneja, the Dean of the School of Hospitality Administration at Boston University and a tourism researcher, last week."
The US Coast Guard refuses to provide an estimate of the cost for the search and rescue operation of the Titan. Titan operator, OceanGate, stated that they cannot associate a monetary value with the search and rescue operation as the US Coast Guard does not link cost with saving lives.
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Five "tourists" on an extreme expedition to the Titanic were declared dead after their mini submarine allegedly exploded not far from the wreckage. The five tourists were CEO of OceanGate and Titan pilot, Stockton Rush; British-Pakistani tycoon, Shahzada Dawood (48), and his son, Suleman Dawood (19); British explorer, Hamish Harding (58); and Titanic and submarine expert, Paul-Henri Nargeolet (77). OceanGate charged $250,000 per person, or approximately Rp 4 billion, for the underwater excursion.
Stephen Koerting, a US attorney in Maine who specializes in maritime law issues, said while the US Coast Guard's fees for search and rescue operations are likely to be in the millions of dollars, federal law generally prohibits seeking reimbursement associated with any search and rescue service. .
However, there are still criticisms from the public questioning whether the tourists or wealthy companies should also bear the cost of reimbursement. After all, they expose themselves to the risks of extreme tourism. Should it be funded by taxpayers' money or government funds? "This is the most difficult question to answer," said National Taxpayers Union President Pete Sepp.
Read also: Titan Laid on the Bottom of the Atlantic with the Titanic
Sepp recorded that the rescue operation was funded by the government since billionaire British hot air balloonist, Richard Branson's exploit in the 1990s. The question of financing resources was highlighted in 1998 when Fossett circumnavigated the world with a hot air balloon which eventually ended with a crash landing near Australia.
The Australian Air Force sent a C-130 Hercules transport plane to search for him. A French military plane sent 15 rescue personnel to assist Fossett before he was picked up by a passing cruise ship. Critics argued that Fossett should have paid for all his rescue costs, but he refused.
The photo combination created on June 21, 2023 shows passengers of the mini submarine Titan as they approach the start of the RMS Titanic Expedition Mission 5 on June 18, 2023.
At the end of the same year, the US Coast Guard spent over $130,000 or IDR 2 billion to rescue Fossett and Branson after their hot air balloon crashed off the coast of Hawaii. Branson said he would pay if the Coast Guard asked him to, but they did not ask.
Nine years later, Fossett's plane went missing in the state of Nevada. This time, the Nevada National Guard was busy searching for months and finally found pieces of the plane from several decades-old accidents. However, Fossett was not found.
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The government of the Nevada State has stated that the search and rescue operation has cost taxpayers up to $685,998 USD (IDR 10.2 billion). Around $200,000 USD (IDR 3 billion) was covered by private donations. However, when Governor Jim Gibbons' office announced they would be seeking reimbursement for the remainder, Steve Fossett's wife strongly refused, citing that she had already spent $1 million USD (IDR 15 billion) on a private search.
"We believe that the search conducted by the State of Nevada is a government expense due to the government's responsibility," said a lawyer on behalf of the Fossett family.
Safety guarantee
Due to the pandemic, outdoor tourist attractions such as national parks have become increasingly popular. At the same time, the widespread use of mobile phones and safety applications therein makes people tend to be complacent, indifferent, or resigned. If there is a problem, they just make a phone call and trust that help will come.
Actually, it's not that easy. There are several tourist locations that have set rules commonly called "rules for stupid drivers". Drivers are forced to pay emergency response bills when they ignore, for example, barriers on flooded roads. The state of Arizona has such a rule. There is an idea to create "rules for stupid pedestrians" because many people still insist on walking around during scorching weather.
This photo released by @nimsdai Project Possible shows a line of climbers standing on the summit of Mount Everest, Nepal, Wednesday (22/5/2019). Many climbing teams have to line up for hours to reach the top. They had to risk their lives because of frostbite as well as altitude sickness.
On Mount Everest, the cost of permits and expeditions to climb can reach tens of thousands of US dollars. The risk is high as people can die or go missing while climbing Everest. Because of this, emergency funds are needed. The Nepalese government requires climbers to have rescue insurance. The scope of rescue efforts can vary greatly and can cost up to tens of thousands of US dollars.
There was another incident that occurred to British billionaire, Tony Bullimore, in 1997. Bullimore's cruise ship was on a journey around the world and repeatedly required rescue when they got lost. Eventually, his ship capsized off the coast of Australia. Bullimore took shelter inside the hull, running out of fresh water and almost running out of air. He was saved when the rescue ship arrived.
"We have international legal obligations. We have a moral obligation to search for and rescue people whether in forest fires, hurricanes, or at sea," said Ian McLachlan who was then serving as the Minister of Defense for Australia. However, the Australian government urged to limit the cruise ship racing route to relatively safer areas."
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Daily The New York Times, June 23, 2023, stated that insurance and other support systems already exist for various forms of adventure travel. For those who want to climb Mount Everest, they can join an expedition company, hire a sherpa to guide the journey during the climb, and buy travel insurance that offers various protections up to the height of the mountain.
If there are problems, insurance companies can take travelers to the hospital or perform field rescues if their whereabouts are known. Helicopters can also be called to pick up someone who, for example, experiences altitude sickness while trying to reach the summit in the Himalayas.
If caught in civil unrest abroad, former Navy SEAL members can even come to help. Nick Goracy, a spokesperson for Servius Group, a company that offers travel security, said the cost for this could range from five to six digits.
The photo obtained from Blue Origin on June 19, 2016 shows the New Shepard capsule landing at an undisclosed location during its fourth mission. Blue Origin, owned by entrepreneur Jeff Bezos, is competing with British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic to be at the forefront of trials to realize space tourism missions.
There are also travel assistance companies that provide annual memberships for safety, medical evacuation, and rescue services. Covac Global offers a "full indemnity" package for medical and security evacuations, including search and rescue, at a cost of around $2,800 USD. The coverage is up to $1.3 million USD.
However, the Executive Director of Covac Global, Ross Thompson, admitted that until now there have been no clients who have exceeded the maximum coverage limit. He mentioned that there was once an evacuation attempt with the highest cost, which was 400,000 US dollars (Rp 6 billion). At that time, there was a case of a Covid-19 critical traveler who was evacuated from Indonesia to Canada.
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When asked about the search for Titan, Thompson said that at least nine ships from three countries, as well as several planes and remotely operated vehicles, were deployed during the massive rescue efforts. He estimated the cost for this to be around 100 million US dollars (IDR 1.5 trillion). Furthermore, underwater search robots were also deployed, and their operation costs are very expensive. In terms of insurance policies, there may need to be a new calculation regarding extreme risk insurance.
"In the end, taxpayers will be held responsible as that is where the budget for the US Coast Guard comes from," said Mikki Hastings, President of the National Association for Search and Rescue, a nonprofit organization that focuses on forest rescue."
Coast Guard officers walked across a Coast Guard ship in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on June 20, 2023.
However, according to the Executive Director of the SAR Association, Chris Boyer, most domestic SAR teams are volunteer organizations. He emphasizes the need to rethink the rescue efforts that can be carried out appropriately during disasters. Because when the Titan tragedy occurred, even the established travel aid companies' capabilities were limited.
"There's nothing that can be done to help someone who is 15,000 feet below the surface of the sea. We can only do what's within our capabilities," said Dan Richards, Global Rescue Executive Director who provides field evacuation and rescue services. (AP)
