While fucked up, it's disinguinuous suggest that the news is blowing up only due to the fact that they're billionaires. While large boat disasters are fairly uncommon, how often do you hear of a submarine disaster. Especially one where the inhabitants are missing but potentially on a timer - trapped in a submarine with no way to open from the inside, many peoples ultimate fear. The story writes itself, pile on what seems to be a neglectful company and you've got a story people are going to be invested in. I don't think the coverage or the search and rescue would be any different if it were a scientific submarine with scientists.

tl;dr:

Greek authorities have so far recovered the bodies of at least 81 people, and more than 100 passengers have been rescued, including Pakistanis, Egyptians, Syrians, Afghans and Palestinians. Survivors and the United Nations have said hundreds were aboard the boat and many are still missing and feared dead. If a death toll in the hundreds was confirmed, it would be among the worst shipwrecks recorded in the Mediterranean. Greek authorities have further been criticized for not acting to rescue the migrants, even though a coast guard vessel escorted the trawler for hours. International maritime law dictates that authorities are obligated to conduct immediate rescue operations - with or without an explicit plea for help. Artist Oliver Jeffers shared his feelings with a cartoon on Tuesday, which marked World Refugee Day.

I am a bot in training. Suggestions?

Ya well tragic shit happens all the time. We’re desensitized to it. This submarine is interesting and the circumstances are kind of like a movie. Of course media will cover it more. It’s what people are interested in.

Yeah, but what was their net worth? ^/s^

Won't someone think of the poor billionaires?

They found a debris field near the titanic recently. It was a catastrophic failure. RIP to those on board.

Irelevant comparison. Must have missed the part where the chilean miners and the cave kids were billionaires too. That's why people cared about those stories. It's not getting coverage cause of the people on it. It's getting coverage because of how idiotic the whole situation was.

I think because they were potentially still alive, it sparks interest around the world.

And the memes are people making fun of a foolish decision by rich people.

As unfortunate as it is, migrant boats wrecking is common enough that it's not really "newsworthy" in terms of what grabs people's attention. Especially on a global scale. Similar to how a murder in somewhere like Maine would make the news, but in NYC it's just another day.

Unfortunately where I live we hear weekly in the news of these immigrants boats.

Can't do much as a small community, except sending help as soon as we know another one sunk.

Finally some larger outlets are covering it!

There are always migrant ships from North Africa traversing North across the Mediterranean that have issues or sink vs a unique one-off sub disaster

So tired to have that sub story popping up in all my feed...

Well, perhaps other billionaires will see how these folks have been treated, and decide that they'd rather be remembered for doing something great for society, rather than pursuing individual/deadly hobbies.

Unfortunately, these migrant ships that sink are not exactly unique. There’s at least a handful that go down every year. As someone else pointed out that this is pretty much a first of its kind disaster. Tourists dying visiting the Titanic. Before this became news I had no idea that this was even something people do… then again I’m not a millionaire with a disposable 250k.

Migrant boat sinking with hundreds on board - tragic? Yes. Is this something new that happens? Unfortunately no.