Virgin to the bottom of the Sea?
Richard Branson, known for such exploits as trying to balloon around the world, said on Tuesday he planned to explore the deepest parts of the world’s oceans with a jet-like submarine.
Virgin Group head Sir Richard Branson sits on top of a solo piloted submarine during a photo opportunity at a news conference in Newport Beach, California, April 5, 2011. REUTERS/Alex Gallardo
The 18-foot (5-1/2 meter) vessel is capable of descents of more than 36,000 feet below the surface, said Branson at a news conference in Newport Beach, California.
His project, called Virgin Oceanic, will undertake five dives over two years. The first is set for later this year, when the team plans to explore the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench at a depth near 36,000 feet.