
Paul-Henri Nargeolet (2nd March 1946 – 18th June 2023) was a French deep-sea explorer and renowned Titanic expert, having completed 37 dives to the wreck; more than anyone else.
In 1986, the French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER) contacted Nargeolet about diving to the wreck of the Titanic. With IFREMER, Nargeolet piloted dives to the wreck site in 1987, 1993, 1994, and 1996. His 1987 expedition was the first to collect artefacts from the wreckage.
In August 2007, RMS Titanic, Inc., a company owned by Premier Exhibitions which organizes travelling exhibitions, commissioned Nargeolet to locate RMS Carpathia, which had rescued survivors of RMS Titanic but was torpedoed in 1918.
Nargeolet worked with RMS Titanic., to recover artefacts related to the Titanic as the director of the Underwater Research Program. His work included utilizing remotely operated vehicles (ROV’s) and resulted in recovering nearly 6,000 artefacts over the course of 35 dives. In 2010, he was part of a mission to 3D map the wreck site and determine levels of deterioration using ROVs and autonomous underwater robots.
Known as "Mr. Titanic", Nargeolet was one of five people who died aboard the submersible Titan when it imploded on 18th June 2023 near the wreck of the Titanic.