Surely not...

The story of the Titan submersible has attracted global attention this week. Rolling coverage on 24hour news channels, newspaper headlines, beautiful illustrations of ocean depths, and photos of the Titans designer/pilot holding a $25 game controller used to manoeuvre the vehicle.

We’ve watched rapid mobilisation of ships, helicopters, & submarines with a sense of awe. It’s been a truly remarkable example of an internationally co-ordinated effort to save 5 souls on a $US250,000 per ticket vanity tourist trip.

The week before the Titan imploded, a boat carrying 700 people sank off the coast of Greece. 104 people were saved and 596 people are now presumed dead. These people were not rich or famous. Most had suffered years of hunger and war that manifested into sheer desperation to find a new life. Hundreds who drowned were children. How many, no one knows because their mothers drowned trying to save them.

I do understand the fascination of an almost Hollywood storyline rescue to a world- famous wreck site.

What I struggle with is the degree to which we appear to turn a blind eye to the ongoing plight of genuine asylum seekers and refugees.

Does the different investment in rescues mean we value the lives of 5 adventurers more than the lives of thousands of desperate people seeking a new life? Surely not..

Perhaps the answer to the question will lie in the magnitude of the response to the next sinking boat in the Mediterranean Sea.