James Cameron, the renowned director of the movie “Titanic” and an experienced deep-sea explorer, has expressed his concerns about the safety of the tourist submersible that tragically imploded near the iconic shipwreck, resulting in the loss of five lives. Cameron highlighted that there were multiple warnings regarding the sub’s safety, and he drew parallels to the historical sinking of the Titanic in 1912, where numerous warnings about ice were disregarded, leading to a significant loss of lives.
Speaking to ABC News, Cameron emphasised the similarity between the two tragedies, with warnings going unheeded in both cases. He found it astonishing and surreal that such a tragedy occurred at the exact location of the Titanic, considering the extensive diving activities taking place worldwide. As someone deeply involved in ocean exploration, Cameron stressed that the risk of a sub imploding under extreme pressure has always been a primary concern for engineers in the field.
Cameron, who personally designed and built a submersible in which he made a solo dive to the deepest part of the ocean in 2012, explained that the use of carbon fibre composite material, like that of the Titan sub, is successful for internal pressure, as seen in scuba tanks. However, when exposed to external pressure, the advantages of carbon composites diminish and their disadvantages become apparent. He described the choice of material for submersible hulls as incorrect and highlighted the insidious nature of potential failures that can occur even after successful dives.
Having conducted numerous deep-water explorations, including over 32 visits to the Titanic wreckage, Cameron emphasised that he has reached depths far greater than where the ruins lay, including the Challenger Deep, the deepest-known seabed.
The US Coast Guard announced the heartbreaking news that all five crew members onboard OceanGate Expeditions’ deep-sea submersible Titan were killed in a horrific implosion. Following this horrific occurrence, which drew worldwide attention, the international search-and-rescue mission came to an end.
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