What you need to know about new submersible could take tourists below ocean | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleShweta SharmaMonday 23 March 2026 13:30 GMTMoment Oceangate CEO Stockton Rush's wife hears the submarine's implosionChina is developing its first deep-sea tourist submersible, aiming for a 2030 launch, capable of taking explorers to depths of up to 1,000 metres.Engineers at the China Ship Scientific Research Centre in Wuxi, Jiangsu, have been working on the project for nearly four years, with a prototype expected by the end of this year.The submersible is designed to carry three passengers and one crew member, featuring a panoramic viewport, which is considered the most challenging structural element.This venture will allow China to compete with a small number of largely Western private companies currently dominating the exclusive deep-sea tourism industry.The development comes after the 2023 implosion of OceanGate’s Titan submersible, which killed five people and raised significant safety concerns within the deep-sea exploration sector.In fullChina eyes deep-sea tourism with submersible capable of 1,000m divesThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in