"Who Pays for Rescuing Risk-Taking Adventurers?"

The recent search for a submersible vehicle lost during a north Atlantic descent to explore the wreckage of the Titanic has reignited the debate on who should pay for rescue operations when wealthy adventurers take huge risks. While the US Coast Guard is generally prohibited by federal law from collecting reimbursement related to any search or rescue service, the larger issue of whether wealthy travelers or companies should bear responsibility to the public and governments for exposing themselves to such risk remains unresolved. The demand for rescue resources has been spotlighted in the past, with critics suggesting that wealthy adventurers should pay the bill, but most officials and volunteers who run search efforts are opposed to charging for help.