Tourist sub’s implosion draws attention to murky regulations of deep-sea expeditions

By BEN FINLEY
Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The fatal implosion of the Titan submersible has drawn attention to the murkily regulated waters of deep-sea exploration. It’s a space where laws and maritime conventions can be sidestepped by entrepreneurs who operate in international waters. Salvatore Mercogliano is a history professor at Campbell University in North Carolina who focuses on maritime history and policy. He says deep-sea exploration is less scrutinized than private space travel. Mercogliano says the sector is at a state of development similar to where aviation was in the early 20th Century. He notes that it took accidents for aviation laws and regulations to be passed.