Clive Cussler (July 15, 1931 – February 24, 2020) was an American adventure novelist and explorer. Cussler was born on July 15, 1931, in Aurora, Illinois, as Clive Eric Cussler. He was known for his novels which feature character Dirk Pitt. In 1976, Cussler wrote his third book, which is about the "Titanic" being raised, "Raise the Titanic!". They have reached "The New York Times" fiction best-seller list more than 20 times. In 1980, Clive Cussler’s "Raise the Titanic!" was adapted into Jerry Jameson’s feature film "Raise the Titanic". Cussler is the founder and chairman of the real-life National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA). He later died in Paradise Valley, Arizona, on February 24, 2020. At that time, Cussler was aged 88.