111 years after the tragic sinking of the Titanic that claimed more than 1500 lives, it is still making headlines and overshadowing other disasters including the deaths of hundreds more migrants in a shipwreck off the coast of Greece.

On June 14, 2023 a ship designed for 500 passengers but carrying 750 capsized and sank in the Mediterranean killing hundreds. For the weeks that followed bodies continually were being recovered or washed up on shores. 

The Greek Coast Guard originally tried to tow the boat out of their waters but failed leading to the capsize. Greece labeled it the deadliest shipwreck in the Mediterranean.

On June 18, 2023 a 21-foot, sealed submersible with five people on board and a 96-hour oxygen supply, embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to see the wreck of the infamous RMS Titanic located about 370 miles southeast of Newfoundland, Canada and about 12,500 feet below the northern Atlantic. 

It was an hour and 45 minutes into the expedition when OceanGate crews lost contact with the submersible. Within the hour a massive four day-long international search and rescue was initiated and led by both the United States and Canadian Coast Guards.

Every major news outlet and media source reported on it and it was in most internet feeds. Some stations even had countdown clocks on their broadcasts counting down to when the oxygen supply would run out. 

The search and rescue ended on the fourth day when debris and human remains were found suggesting the vessel imploded. As a result the U.S. Coast Guard convened the Marine Board of Investigation to look further into the incident. Tributes poured in to honor the five victims and their families.

Startling Comparison 

Controversy quickly arose around the fact that media coverage of the Titanic sub was extensive while the Mediterranean boat sinking was hardly ever mentioned, many never even knew it happened.

Many instantly pointed out the glaring difference in the fact that the sub disaster killed five millionaires, whereas the shipwreck killed hundreds of migrants attempting to seek asylum.

“The catastrophic event was barely mentioned, even before five rich guys went missing on an expensive and dangerous adventure of their choosing,” said Trinity Schmillovitz, a reporter for YNet News. 

Schmillovitz said that media outlets in the United States tend to struggle with reporting international stories that don’t have an American angle. They are more obsessed with ratings and viral stories than issues that may be more pressing.

“At the end of the day, there is no denying the truth. If you are poor, your life matters less in this world,” Schmillovtiz said. “If you happen to be a refugee who has found themselves drowning, you better hope some millionaires’ yacht is floating nearby.”

Relatability 

Some argued that money had nothing to do with it and started wondering if there was another reason as to why so much coverage was given to the deaths of five individuals vs hundreds.

Richard Bright, a media representative for the Human Rights Watch, said what happened to the migrant boat was devastating, but the unfortunate truth is that it is harder for people to relate. 

According to Bright – as well as other human rights and migrant advocates online – the general population, especially in the United States, tends to favor news where there’s a notable face or easy to understand topic.

In this case, a submarine with five easy to recognize millionaires visiting one of the most infamous shipwrecks in human history was significantly easier to digest compared to a ship overfilled with over 700 migrants fleeing Libya and trying to seek asylum in Italy capsizing due to the Greek Coast Guard trying to get rid of them.

“I don’t think money had anything to do with it, it was about how personable the situation was,” Bright said. “Everyone knew the faces and names of the people killed in the submersible, it was harder to identify the people who drowned in the Mediterranean. It’s easy to empathize with people you can see instead of nameless faces in a crowd.”

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