The Anglo-Saxon media call him “Mr Titanic”, an obvious choice of nickname for one of the world’s leading shipwreck specialists. Paul-Henri Nargeolet is among the passengers aboard the submersible, missing from Sunday night to Monday not far from the Titanic, BFMTV learned from his family. And the chances of finding the crew alive are dwindling.
Several dozen dives at the famous wreck
This 77-year-old former naval officer, a scuba diver, is well acquainted with the Titanic, “the ultimate shipwreck.” What remains of the liner was discovered in 1985. In 1986, Paul-Henri Nargeolet became responsible for deep intervention submarines at the French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea (Ifremer).
“I have dived in other magnificent wrecks, but they never have this type of aura that the Titanic has,” the author of In the depths of the Titanic.
His encounter with the wreckage occurred in 1987, when Paul-Henri Nargeolet was aboard the French submarine Nautile. Over the years, dozens of immersions followed, remarkably allowing the recovery of hundreds and hundreds of objects. The last one dates back to the summer of 2021.
“You stay on the bottom for 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 hours, which is the longest. And even then, you don’t really want to come back up. Sometimes I get to the end of the batteries.” , and sometimes even more. They have also lectured me several times for that”, the explorer had confided at the time to the Telegraph.
A “mentor” for underwater exploration
Christian Pétron, director and cinematographer of the Titanic exploration campaigns, says he is “more than worried” about his friend. “We did the navy together, submarines together and I did several expeditions on the Titanic with him,” he testifies on BFMTV.
The diver also recalls a discussion with Paul-Henri Nargeolet during which the latter mentioned “new technology” for a submarine to explore the Titanic.
“I keep hoping that he is still alive because for me it is a tragedy, he is a childhood friend and it will be a very, very big loss in the middle of the Navy,” he continues on our antenna.
“He is a great specialist and probably our mentor to all of us in the exploration and use of these submarines,” Alexis Rosenfeld confesses to BFMTV. Asked about the critical situation in which the French explorer finds himself, the photographer and explorer from the 1 Ocean Foundation believes that “when there is life there is hope”.
Source: BFM TV
