Jeopardy contestant narrowly avoids Titanic sub trip thanks to his family

Fans of US TV show Jeopardy! have been sharing messages online after it was revealed that fan favourite Sam Buttrey narrowly missed a tour of the Titanic wreck site.

College professor Buttrey has been a regular guest on the show and became the 2021 Professors Tournament Champion. Clips have been circulating from a recent episode of the programme which see Buttrey reveal he missed the opportunity to visit the site in a submersible craft.

It comes as five men on board the Titan submersible were declared dead on Thursday after authorities announced that the craft imploded near the site of the Titanic shipwreck.

Speaking to host Ken Jennings on the Jeopardy! Masters Tournament last month, he revealed that he wasn’t able to go on a similar tour due to his son’s wedding taking place. It is not clear whether the trip would have been with the same company, OceanGate, that operated the Titan craft.

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"I have a friend who operates a company that will take you out to the wreck of the Titanic," Buttrey said.

"So you go out in a boat, and then you go down in a submersible craft and tour the wreckage."

"It sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he said, before calling it a "miracle of bad timing".

Buttrey said he didn’t have a “shred of regret” over the choice and he was "very happy" to attend the wedding.

Fans shared their relief, with one writing: “Thank God we didn’t lose Sam.”

Another said: “I just saw a TikTok that reminded me that one of Prof. Sam Buttrey's anecdotes in the recent #JeopardyMasters tournament was missing out on a submarine trip to the Titanic to go to a wedding. In light of recent events, I think it's for the best that he missed out.”

Another said: “I’m literally so happy Sam Buttrey DID NOT GET ON THAT OCEANGATE TOUR.”

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