You can visit the Titanic's shipwreck in 2019, if you have Dh386,000 to spare

There are only nine slots available for 'mission specialists' for the 11-day expeditions

It will be the first manned mission to the Titanic wreck since 2005, and the first chance for members of the public to join. Courtesy NOAA

Its wreck has lay on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean for more than a century, and, in 2019, travellers will be given the chance to see the Titanic for themselves.

A series of research expeditions by a team of specialists are planned throughout the year, and they are looking for civilians to assist as crew members. The company leading the mission, OceanGate, has built a specialist submersible that will allow members of the public to access the wreck for the first time.

Tickets for the 11-day expeditions – which will leave from St. John’s, Newfoundland in Canada and fly to meet the Dive Support Ship at sea – will cost US$105,129 (Dh386,000), approximately the equivalent of what a First Class ticket to travel on board the Titanic would cost today.

There are nine ‘mission specialist’ roles available across each of the six expeditions, which start on June 26, 2019. However, the company has set out some requirements for those who join. These include: you will need to be over the age of 18; be able to board small boats in rough seas; demonstrate basic mobility, flexibility and balance; and take part in a Helicopter Underwater Egress Training course.

The Titanic took just two hours and 40 minutes to sink after striking an iceberg on April 14, 1912, claiming the lives of 1,503 passengers and crew members. Its wreck is rapidly decaying, and it’s thought it will soon be unrecognisable. The aim of the mission is to collect 4K images and videos, scan the wreck, and collect laser and sonar data to build a 3D model in order to preserve it in history.

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Mission specialists will join at least one seven-hour dive to the wreck, as well as assisting the research team with data logging, navigation, camera operation, and training in laser and sonar scanning.

Currently four of the missions are full, but limited spots are still available from July 25-August 4 and August 1-12.

“Our crew is honoured and excited to be a part of this historic expedition,” says Havard Ulstein, managing director of Island Offshore. “We are really looking forward to working with OceanGate and helping them accomplish their mission of making manned exploration of the deep ocean more accessible than ever.”

For more information, visit the Titanic Survey Expedition website.