Photo Credit: National GeographicTitanic (1997) was a cinematic and cultural phenomenon that continues to inspire generations’ fascination with the tragedy that took place 111-years-ago. The film’s director and writer, James Cameron, was a seasoned underwater explorer who had made several high-risk subaquatic missions to study and absorb the ceremonial gravesite of the Titanic when making the classic film. Despite his appreciation and passion for the skill and science of deepsea sub exploration, he stated previously that the area where the shipwreck resides is “unforgiving.” Flash-forward to the present, an ocean submersible carrying a pilot and four tourists seeking to gaze upon the infamous wreckage has been missing since Sunday.
It would be hard to deny that this awful incident involving the commercial submersible tour company, OceanGate Expeditions, would be a profitable undertaking without James Cameron’s film. Titanic grossed over $2 billion dollars in theaters and is one of the highest grossing films in box office history. The masterpiece has reinvigorated an obsession with the ill-fated luxury liner for many enthusiasts through multiple books, documentaries, podcasts, comedic parodies, and the like.
The first substantial footage and journey to the tragic shipwreck was funded by Cameron as he used a Russian Academy of Science submersible vehicle called ‘Mir’ for the deepsea exploration. Michael Cameron, James’ brother and a mechanical engineer, constructed a 35 mm casing to help the camera withstand the pressure underwater. While the Russian sub completed several successful missions, the main difference between Mir and the current missing submersible ‘Titan’ is that the former was designed for rescue missions and scientific ocean analysis.
It is now a race against time as the ‘Titan’ sub only has less than 24 hours of oxygen for its passengers. OceanGate Expeditions has assured the media that they are doing everything within their power to find it. The US Coast Guard and Canadian Armed Forces have now been brought in to help expand the scope of the search and rescue. Captain James Fredrick expressed that they are seeking the source of a sound or ‘ping’ they heard on Tuesday night to Wednesday morning. Experts are examining the noises to assess if it might be from the missing vessel. A senior adviser to the Titanic Salvage Rights, David Gallo, said if the sound is coming from the vessel, it would suggest the hull is still intact.
OceanGate has yet to explain how it lost contact with the mini-van-sized vehicle an hour and 45 minutes into its descent. ‘Side scan sonar’ is being used to detect images on the seafloor. While it cannot examine depth, it helps to create a comprehensive assessment of the ocean floor.
The Avatar: The Way of Water director has not released an official statement on the current search, but his opinion was stated during an interview that the seven mile journey to the Titanic is “one of the most unforgiving places on Earth.” He warned that one cannot call AAA (a vehicle assistance company) to be retrieved in an emergency. This foreboding statement rings true in the midst of this terrible disappearance. While time is of the essence, any concerned readers are certainly hoping for a Hollywood ending. Many opinions will be expressed in the aftermath, but one of the most apt is that this incident should be a cautionary tale about what could happen when an unsanctioned travel experience lacks oversight and uses a fanbase’s love to profit at the expense of safety.