James Cameron Says Titanic Sub’s Design Was “A Horrible Idea” Based On A “Fundamental Flaw”
23.06.2023 - 22:07
/ deadline.com
In multiple interviews yesterday, Titanic director James Cameron harshly criticized the OceanGate, the company that designed, built and operated the small submarine Titan, which officials now believe suffered a “catastrophic implosion” as it dove down to tour the wreck of the Titanic. Five people were killed as a result.
Cameron has descended to the wreck over 30 times. He also designed and built his own submersible which he piloted solo 35,787 below sea level into the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific. That’s about three times deeper than where Titanic wreck sits. The 2014 film Deepsea Challenge 3D documented the accomplishment.
Cameron’s sub was also experimental, but the director stressed that he did not take on passengers. The dive was a chance he took on himself without allowing anyone else to share that risk.
Chief among Cameron’s criticisms was OceanGate’s decision making around the hull of its submersible. Cameron said that if he were designing a vehicle to carry passengers he would put it through certification and test protocols with one of the big names in that business, such as the American Bureau of Shipping. That was not the case for Titan.
“I think it was unconscionable that this group did not go through that rigorous process,” he told CNN.
In fact, a whistle-blowing employee raised alarms about OceanGate in 2018 over its decision to operate its subs as experimental vessels, rather and seeking certification.
Asked about the carbon composite used in Titan’s experimental design, Cameron said, “It’s completely inappropriate for a vessel that sees external pressure.” He went on to say that carbon fiber is very helpful when used for applications subject to internal pressure, like scuba