James Cameron, film director and deep-sea explorer, shares his insights on the recent tragic incident of a submersible vehicle imploding near the Titanic wreck site. He reflects on his own experiences diving to the Titanic wreck site multiple times and emphasizes the importance of safety protocols in deep-sea exploration.
Cameron highlights the concerns he and others in the deep-submergence community had about the Oceangate submersible's design, specifically its use of a carbon fiber hull, which he believes is fundamentally flawed. He notes that the sub's hull was prone to delamination and that the presence of sensors on the inside of the hull to detect cracks was not a reliable safety measure.
Cameron also draws a comparison between the Titanic disaster and the recent incident, pointing out that in both cases, warnings were ignored, and the consequences were tragic. He advocates for the use of proven designs and materials, such as steel or titanium, and emphasizes the importance of backup systems and contingency planning in deep-sea exploration.
The conversation also touches on the topic of the Titanic wreck site itself, with Bob Ballard, the discoverer of the wreck, joining in to discuss the importance of preserving the site and continuing to explore and learn from it.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. James Cameron has made 33 dives to the Titanic wreckage site.
2. Cameron spent more time on the ship than the captain did during its maiden voyage.
3. Cameron is a submersible designer and built a sub to go to the deepest place in the ocean.
4. The submersible Cameron designed went to the Challenger Deep, three times deeper than the Titanic.
5. Deep submergence diving is a mature art that has improved dramatically over time.
6. The safety record of deep submergence vehicles is the gold standard, with no fatalities and no major incidents.
7. The Titanic wreckage site is a very hostile and dangerous place to dive.
8. Entanglement is a major concern when diving at the Titanic wreckage site.
9. Cameron dove with a two-sub system, which provided a backup in case of an emergency.
10. The Oceangate sub had a carbon fiber hull, which is a fundamentally flawed design principle.
11. The Oceangate sub had sensors on the inside of the hull to warn of cracking, but this is not considered a safe design.
12. The Oceangate sub was designed with a composite hull, which can delaminate and fail.
13. The Titanic wreckage is not going to last forever and is being preserved by being deep in the mud.
14. The deep sea is anoxic, meaning it lacks oxygen, which helps preserve the Titanic wreckage.
15. The Titanic's bow is being held together by being deep in the mud, which is preserving it.
Note: These facts are based on the text and may not be universally true or up-to-date, but they represent the information presented in the text.