World of the Bizarre

Billionaire announces, for the second time, plans to build the Titanic II

By T.K. Randall
March 13, 2024

Image: Titanic Wreck Bow
Credit: Courtesy of NOAA/Institute for Exploration/University of Rhode Island (NOAA/IFE/URI). / (PD) Almost a decade ago, the Australian billionaire businessman told journalists at a conference in London's Ritz Hotel that he was going to be building the Titanic II - a full-scale working replica of the iconic vessel that would be as close to the original as possible.

At the time, he maintained that the Titanic II would help to honor those who had died in the disaster and hoped to have the new vessel complete its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City in 2016, echoing the maiden voyage of the original Titanic which sank on 15th April, 1912.

To cut a long story short, the Titanic II inevitably failed to materialize, with all indications suggesting that the project had simply been abandoned.

Surprisingly, however, now Palmer has announced - this time from the Sydney Opera House - that he will once again be funding the construction of a new full-scale replica of the Titanic.

When asked if the announcement was a hoax, Palmer played down the idea while insisting that he possessed "enough money to build the Titanic 10 times over".The 70-year-old blamed the pandemic for the delays in building the vessel and maintained that everyone should have faith that it will actually happen this time because he "has more money now".

"So I could do the Titanic. I'm gonna do it," he said, while implying that his greatest fear was dying without having done anything of particular note.

"It's a lot more fun to do the Titanic than it is to sit at home and count my money."

"All you need to be happy, I've found in my life, is to have someone that loves you, somewhere to sleep at night and enough for a good meal."

"Beyond that, the rest is an illusion - it's like playing golf."

Whether or not the Titanic II will actually happen this time, however, remains to be seen.

Source: The Guardian

Tags: Titanic