…By Gift BADEWO for TDPel Media.
James Cameron, the famed Hollywood director known for his epic film, ‘Titanic’, has expressed his profound sorrow and astonishment over the recent tragedy involving the Titan submersible.
Notably, Cameron pointed out the unnerving parallels between the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and the recent fatal incident.
Deep Submergence Community’s Concern
Cameron, an experienced deep-sea explorer himself, underscored the concerns raised by the deep submergence engineering community about the Titan.
The experts had expressed doubts about the safety of the OceanGate Expeditions craft even before it was reported missing.
Cameron has an intimate understanding of these types of submersibles, having designed similar craft and personally visited the Titanic wreckage 33 times.
Ignoring Warnings
Reflecting on the forewarnings ignored by the Titanic’s captain that eventually led to its sinking, Cameron noted an eerie similarity in the Titan’s case.
Several prominent figures in the deep submergence community had cautioned OceanGate Expeditions, arguing that the company’s operations were excessively experimental to carry passengers safely without proper certification.
Despite these warnings, tragically, history seemed to repeat itself.
Lost Lives and Personal Loss
On Thursday, OceanGate announced the presumed deaths of the Titan’s pilot and four passengers, including OceanGate’s CEO Stockton Rush, UK citizens Hamish Harding and Shahzada Dawood, Dawood’s 19-year-old son Suleman, and French national Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
The wreckage was discovered around 1,600 feet from the Titanic’s bow, amplifying the uncanny parallel between both tragedies.
Remembering a Friend
Expressing his personal grief, Cameron paid homage to the late Paul-Henri Nargeolet, who he considered a friend of 25 years and a “legendary submersible dive pilot”.
The loss, he said, was “almost impossible for me to process”.