Staff Reports
Once again, Hollywood director and deep-sea explorer James Cameron has proven that he is not only a master of entertainment but also an expert on maritime safety. Cameron recently spoke out about the tragic loss of the OceanGate vessel and compared it to the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.
Cameron highlighted the similarity between both disasters, arguing that they were caused by overconfident people at the helm. He lamented that the captain of the Titanic ignored warnings about ice ahead and sailed recklessly into an ice field that led to the deaths of many passengers. Similarly, those in charge of the Titan, the vessel that recently imploded, ignored warnings that it was not safe for passengers and went ahead to carry out the submergence anyway.
Chris Goldfinger, a deep-sea explorer and marine geologist at Oregon State University, echoed Cameron’s sentiments, pointing out that overconfidence was the problem that led to the Titanic’s sinking. According to Goldfinger, the same sort of overconfident behavior in those piloting the Titan contributed to its implosion.
Cameron also criticized the construction of the Titan, describing the vessel’s carbon fiber construction as “fundamentally flawed.” He added that while deep submergence diving is a mature art, the Titan was too experimental to carry passengers.
It’s unfortunate to see the death toll of the passengers on the Titan, which includes Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood, British billionaire Hamish Harding, French deep-sea explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush. This tragedy could have been avoided if those involved had listened to warnings and taken all the necessary safety precautions.
‘Titanic’ director James Cameron on the ‘catastrophic implosion’ of Titan submersible: “I’m struck by the similarity of the Titanic disaster itself, where the captain was repeatedly warned about ice ahead of his ship and yet he steamed at full speed into an ice field." pic.twitter.com/vO8JkCXS5f
— ABC News (@ABC) June 22, 2023
This incident highlights that it’s always better to err on the side of caution, even if it means postponing a venture. When human lives are at risk, there should be no shortcuts or cut corners. Hopefully, the maritime industry will learn from this tragedy and implement stricter safety measures to ensure such incidents never happen again.
Source: Townhall
