Rebecca Beach Smith saved her life by declining an invitation to join the doomed submersible dive.

Who is Rebecca Beach Smith?

Rebecca Beach Smith, a U.S. federal judge with more than two decades of oversight over the RMS Titanic wreckage, was offered a chance to join the ill-fated submersible dive towards the shipwreck but chose to decline the invitation.

As the judge in charge of the Titanic wreck, her decision proved fortuitous as the submersible, named Titan, lost contact during its descent, triggering a race against time to locate the vessel before its oxygen supply runs out.

Since 2002, Judge Rebecca Beach Smith has presided over the Titanic wreck from her position on the U.S. District Court in Norfolk, Virginia. In April, OceanGate Expeditions, a consulting company, informed her about their planned scientific survey expeditions at the Titanic wreck site in the summer of 2023.

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They extended an invitation for Judge Smith to personally participate in the Titanic Survey Expedition as a guest, which she politely declined in her reply the following month, expressing her gratitude for the invitation and leaving open the possibility for future involvement.

Judge Smith’s decision to decline the invitation turned out to be fortunate. On Sunday, OceanGate’s submersible, the Titan, lost contact with the surface approximately two hours after commencing its dive towards the wreckage in the North Atlantic.

This event triggered a rescue mission involving multiple agencies, as the air supply for the submersible’s five passengers is expected to run out on Wednesday evening.

OceanGate Expeditions has emphasized their primary focus on the safety and well-being of the crew. They have undertaken all possible measures to ensure the safe return of the five crew members. The rescue mission is ongoing, highlighting the urgency to locate and rescue the stranded submersible.

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As the rescue mission continues, efforts are underway to locate the Titan and bring its crew back safely. The incident serves as a reminder of the risks involved in exploring deep-sea wrecks and the importance of prioritizing crew safety in such expeditions.