World-famous director and deep-sea explorer James Cameron has spoken out about the OceanGate submarine disaster, saying it tarnished the reputation of the submersible industry.
Cameron made the comments at the Fremantle Maritime Museum in Perth on Sunday, at the launch of an exhibition showing his record-breaking solo dive in 2012 into the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean.
He said the OceanGate Titan submarine tragedy in June 2023, which killed Captain Stockton Rush and the four adventure tourists on board, was “completely preventable” and destroyed public trust.
The submarine’s hull imploded about 3,500 meters underwater as it descended toward the wreckage of the Titanic, about 560 kilometers off the coast of Newfoundland.
The disaster captured the world’s attention when experts, including Cameron, criticized the vehicle’s construction and safety measures.
World-famous director and deep-sea explorer James Cameron (pictured) said the OceanGate Titan submarine disaster was “completely preventable”.
The second highest-grossing director of all time said the possibility of an implosion is “the first and most important principle against which it is designed.
“And I think one of the tragedies is that people now think that submersible diving is much more dangerous than it really is,” he told the crowd. Western Australia reported.
The submarine was descending towards the wreck of the Titanic, about 3,800 m underwater, when it lost its navigation and communication at about 3,500 m.
It collapsed in a matter of milliseconds, instantly killing British billionaire Hamish Harding, OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and British businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Sulaiman.
The deaths broke a 63-year streak without fatalities in the industry.
Cameron suspected that the company had “cut corners” in building the Titan submarine, a view shared by other submersible experts.
A blog post on the company’s website in 2019 said that while the submarine did not meet accepted standards, “it does not mean that OceanGate does not meet the standards that apply.”
The Marine Technology Society had also sent OceanGate a letter outlining safety concerns for Titan in 2018, with which Rush reportedly “agreed to disagree.”
The submarine Titan (pictured) imploded in June last year while descending towards the Titanic, immediately killing all five people on board.
Cameron has become an expert in deep-sea diving after visiting the Titanic 33 times and completing a solo dive to the deepest known spot in the ocean in 2012.
Cameron was later asked at the event if he would buy a ticket for the maiden voyage of the Titanic replica planned by Australian billionaire Clive Palmer.
Despite having traveled to the wreck 33 times and directing the hit 1997 film about the ship’s sinking, he said “if I had that much money, I’d spend it on science.”
Palmer announced his plans for ‘Titanic II’ outside the Sydney Opera House on March 14, which will recreate the ill-fated 1912 voyage from Southampton to New York by 2027.
The mining magnate assured his audience that he was confident he could find one and begin construction in 2025.
3D renderings of its plans reveal that the ship will have a large wooden staircase, similar to the one seen in the film.
“Included in the design is a grand first-class staircase that descends through most of the ship’s decks to F Deck,” a statement from Palmer’s Blue Star Line said.
“The staircase will begin on the deck of the ship, under a large wrought iron and glass dome, at the center of which is a sparkling 50-light crystal chandelier.”
Shortly after the implosion, Cameron expressed concern that OceanGate may have “cut corners” in the development and construction of the submarine.