"It was a beautiful starlit night, no wind, and the sea was as calm as a lake," one survivor recounted. But it would not stay that way.

First, survivors remembered a forceful shudder as the ship crashed into an iceberg. Those lucky enough to escape the TitanicThe RMS Titanic was the largest ship afloat at the time and it is the deadliest cruise ship disaster in history. witnessed the 50,000 tonne iron ship sinking to the bottom of the ocean.¹

It is now more than 111 years since the RMS Titanic met her tragic fate. And now, the site of the accident has become a legendary venue for "dark tourism" fanatics.

Of course, it is not easy to visit a ship that is currently 4,000 metres underwater. Tours are very expensive, costing almost £200,000 per visit. Tripmakers have to sign a waiver accepting that they may die on the trip.

Now, the latest vessel has disappeared. There are five people on board, including the British billionaire Hamish Harding. When they set off, they only had enough oxygen for several days.

For some, it is hard to imagine signing away your life for an eight-hour-long tour around a shipwreck, let alone one that is essentially a graveyard for over 1,500 people. But dark tourism is a growing trade.

Dark tourism fans reject beaches, busy capitals, resorts and cruises in favour of the grim and macabreGruesome or ghastly.. For some, it is a way to memorialise the less honourable moments in our past; but others say it is pure exploitativeUsing someone or something in an unfair or morally wrong way - but in a way that benefits you. spectacle.

Not many people have a problem with visiting the catacombsAn underground cemetery, with passages and rooms where bodies were buried in the past. of Paris or the ruins of PompeiiA Roman town in Italy. It was buried under ash after a nearby volcano erupted. The ash preserved the town so well that today people can walk through the streets and into some buildings., but you may not be comfortable with visiting the site of a more recent catastrophe.

Its supporters believe that the right way to raise awareness of the dark side of history is through standing in the victims' shoes, in the very same places that they drew their last breath. But many say it feels more like dancing on their graves.

Yes: Dark tourism is no longer about learning respectfully about the darker times in our history. It is about spectacle and taking pleasure in horror.

No: There are plenty of "dark tourism" sites that help tourists learn about really important historical events and gain valuable context.

Or... As with everything, there is a spectrum. When dark tourist sites are run by charitable organisations or non-profits, they are likely to have a positive purpose. When they are run by companies they may be less sensitive to the victims' stories.