Thaindian News

London, Apr 6 (ANI): British business tycoon Sir Richard Branson has revealed plans to dive to the deepest parts of the world’s oceans in a single-person submarine.

The entrepreneur and explorer would take five dives over the next two years to destinations, including the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, the deepest point in any ocean, The Telegraph reports.

Branson has unveiled his new deep-sea submarine, an 18 feet-long white-and-blue airplane-like craft with stubby wings and a cockpit, at a yacht club in Newport Beach, California. This submarine would reportedly be capable of cruising for about 6.2 miles (10 kilometres) and can stay down unaided for 24 hours.

The British billionaire said that following his expedition, he would give shape to his dream of creating a larger submarine that can hold more people and offer paid deep-sea trips for tourists.

“Man has not explored our ocean. If someone says something is impossible we like to prove it’s possible. I love learning and I’m just very fortunate to participate in these kinds of adventures,” he said.

His fellow adventurer Chris Welsh would take a trip to the Mariana Trench later this year, followed by Sir Richard, who would then explore the Puerto Rico Trench in the Atlantic.

Although Sir Richard appeared enthusiastic and confident about his plans, he expressed fears over risks involved.

“The greatest danger is that there is a ship or a fishing net or something that we get snarled in on the bottom. In those circumstances it’s like being lost on the dark side of the moon. There is nothing that can come down to rescue us,” he said.

“We are trying to develop sonar to see if there is a ship or a Spanish galleon we are going to run into,” Sir Richard added. (ANI)