James Cameron reveals new information about Titanic sub disaster | 60 Minutes Australia

Summary

One year after the Titan submersible tragedy, many questions remain unanswered. The disaster, which claimed five lives during a dive to the Titanic wreck, is scrutinized by experts and the victims' families. James Cameron, a renowned deep-sea explorer, criticizes OceanGate's risky practices and the lack of timely information from authorities. Despite early knowledge of an implosion, a prolonged and hopeful search ensued, causing further anguish. The investigation continues as Cameron plans a new mission to honor his friend and ensure future deep-sea explorations are conducted safely.

Takeaways

• 🚤 James Cameron reveals insights on the Titan submersible tragedy.
• 📉 Death was instant for the five occupants aboard the Titan submersible.
• 🔍 A year after the tragedy, many questions remain unanswered.
• 😠 James Cameron criticizes OceanGate for breaking safety rules and not contacting victims' families.
• 🚫 The Titan was the only commercial submersible with a carbon fiber composite hull, deemed unsafe by experts.
• 🛠️ OceanGate's CEO, Stockton Rush, took pride in breaking conventional rules.
• 🌊 Communication with the Titan was lost less than two hours into its dive.
• 🔊 Reports of tapping noises during the search were later deemed fictional.
• 🗣️ The US Coast Guard received classified information about an implosion early on but didn't share it publicly.
• 🧭 James Cameron plans to build a new submersible and continue deep-sea exploration in honor of his friend.

Q & A

What rule did Stockton Rush break when constructing the Titan submersible?

Stockton Rush broke the rule of not combining carbon fiber and titanium in the construction of the Titan submersible, which industry experts agree is incapable of withstanding extreme deep sea pressure.

Why is James Cameron critical of the Coast Guard's handling of the Titan tragedy?

James Cameron criticizes the Coast Guard for not disclosing information about the detected implosion early on, which led to unnecessary hope and a torturous wait for the families of the victims.

What evidence does Sidney Nag have from her father's final adventure?

Sidney Nag has a shriveled Styrofoam cup that her father, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, took on his deep-sea missions to see it shrink under the pressure of descent. This cup somehow survived the catastrophic implosion of the Titan submersible.

How many times has James Cameron visited the Titanic wreck site?

James Cameron has visited the Titanic wreck site 33 times.

What makes the Titan submersible unique in its design?

The Titan submersible was the only commercial submersible in the world with a hull made from carbon fiber composite, which was untested and not certified, making it an outlier in deep-sea exploration.

What role did the Odus 6 submersible play in the search for the Titan?

The Odus 6 submersible was the only remotely operated vehicle that could reach nearly 4 kilometers down to the Titanic site, and it was involved in the search mission for the Titan submersible.

How did James Cameron learn about the confirmed implosion of the Titan?

James Cameron learned about the confirmed implosion of the Titan from a reliable naval source who informed him of the event, which was detected and triangulated to the site.

What were the initial reactions of the Coast Guard when they received the call about the missing Titan submersible?

The Coast Guard recognized the call as an unprecedented challenge, having never dealt with a subsurface search before, and they initiated a search and rescue operation despite the information about the implosion being classified and inconclusive at the time.

What is James Cameron's future plan related to deep-sea exploration?

James Cameron plans to build a new submersible capable of reaching 4,000 meters and may return to the Titanic wreck site to prove that deep-sea exploration can be done safely if done correctly.

Why did the search for the Titan submersible continue despite the knowledge of an implosion event?

The search continued because the information about the implosion was classified and not definitive. The Coast Guard felt a moral and statutory responsibility to continue the search in hopes of a rescue until they had tangible evidence of the submersible's fate.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Tragic Submarine Disaster and Unanswered Questions

The script begins with a reference to breaking safety rules in the construction of a carbon fiber and titanium submersible. It discusses the aftermath of the Titan tragedy, where James Cameron reveals the truth behind the tapping sounds believed to be from the trapped crew. A year later, there are still many unanswered questions surrounding the disaster, including why the sub imploded and why false hope was given for a rescue mission. The lack of credible information has left victims' families and other undersea explorers in the dark. The only remaining evidence of one of the victims' final journey is a shrunken Styrofoam cup, which holds a deep emotional significance for his daughter.

05:01

🛠️ The Titanic Sub Disaster: Design Flaws and Unconventional Methods

This paragraph delves into the design and operation of the ill-fated Titan submarine, which was made from an untested carbon fiber composite material. The CEO of Ocean Gate, Stockton Rush, is portrayed as having pushed the boundaries of safety in pursuit of an unforgettable adventure for passengers. The Titan was not certified or classified due to its unconventional design. The narrative also touches on the tragic dive with Paul Nargeot, a guide with a history of taking Styrofoam cups on his dives, and the tragic end to his 38th dive to the Titanic's wreckage. The Coast Guard's rescue mission is highlighted, along with the false hope given to the families and the media frenzy surrounding the search.

10:02

🔍 The Coast Guard's Response and the Truth Behind the Rescue Mission

The third paragraph focuses on the Coast Guard's handling of the rescue mission, revealing that they had information about an implosion near the Titanic site but did not share it publicly. Ed Casano, with his deep-sea vehicle, the Odus 6, believed in the possibility of a rescue, but James Cameron knew the truth about the Titan's catastrophic implosion. The narrative questions the Coast Guard's procedure and the unnecessary prolonging of hope for the families. It also discusses the moment of realization that the mission had tragically become a recovery operation rather than a rescue.

15:03

🌊 The Aftermath: Reflections on the Tragedy and the Future of Deep-Sea Exploration

The final paragraph reflects on the tragedy and its impact on the families of the victims, particularly the daughter of 'Mr. Titanic', who is left with the bitter irony of her father's obsession becoming his demise. It also touches on the legal implications and the question of whether someone should be held accountable for the disaster. James Cameron, angered by the incident and the investigation, is determined to continue exploration and honor his friend by returning to the Titanic site with a new, safer submarine design.

Keywords

💡Carbon Fiber

Carbon fiber is a lightweight and strong material made from thin, strong crystalline filaments of carbon. In the video, it is mentioned as part of the construction of the Titan submersible, which was an experimental craft made from a carbon fiber composite. It's significant because industry experts agree that carbon fiber is incapable of withstanding extreme deep sea pressure, which is a central issue in the narrative of the Titan's catastrophic failure.

💡Titanium

Titanium is a strong, lightweight, and corrosion-resistant metal often used in aerospace, medical implants, and high-performance applications. In the context of the video, it is combined with carbon fiber in the construction of the Titan submersible, highlighting the use of advanced materials in deep-sea exploration. The script mentions that the combination of carbon fiber and titanium was unconventional and against established rules, which contributed to the disaster.

💡Titan Tragedy

The Titan tragedy refers to the catastrophic implosion of the Titan submersible, which resulted in the deaths of its occupants. This event is the central theme of the video, as it explores the circumstances surrounding the disaster, the lack of information, and the emotional impact on the victims' families and the deep-sea exploration community.

💡Deep-Sea Submersible

A deep-sea submersible is a type of watercraft designed to operate at extreme depths, enabling exploration and research in the ocean's depths. The Titan, as depicted in the video, was an Ocean Gate submersible intended for dives to the Titanic wreck. The script discusses the submersible's design flaws and the disaster that occurred during one of its missions.

💡James Cameron

James Cameron is a renowned film director and deep-sea explorer. In the video, he is portrayed as an expert who has visited the Titanic wreck site multiple times and has a deep understanding of deep-sea exploration. His perspective on the Titan tragedy and the subsequent investigation is a key part of the narrative, as he believes there were critical missteps and a lack of transparency.

💡Ocean Gate

Ocean Gate is the company responsible for the Titan submersible and its expeditions. The video discusses the company's role in the disaster, its lack of communication with the victims' families, and the unconventional approach to submersible design and safety. Ocean Gate's CEO, Stockton Rush, is highlighted as pushing the limits of sense and safety.

💡Implosion

An implosion refers to the collapse or inward collapse of a structure, often caused by external pressure. In the context of the video, the Titan submersible catastrophically imploded due to the extreme pressure of the deep sea, leading to the tragic loss of life. The term is used to describe the moment of the disaster and is a focal point of the investigation.

💡Search and Rescue Mission

A search and rescue mission involves the coordinated efforts to locate and rescue individuals who are lost, missing, or in distress. The video describes the frantic search for the Titan and its occupants, the false hopes raised by reports of tapping sounds, and the eventual realization that the mission had transitioned from rescue to recovery.

💡Coast Guard

The Coast Guard is a maritime search and rescue organization responsible for ensuring safety and enforcing laws at sea. In the video, the US Coast Guard is depicted as leading the search for the Titan, facing an unprecedented challenge and making decisions that are later questioned, particularly regarding the communication of information about the implosion.

💡Deep-Sea Exploration

Deep-sea exploration refers to the investigation and study of the deep parts of the ocean, often using specialized equipment and vehicles. The video discusses the risks and challenges of this field, particularly in the context of the Titan's ill-fated mission to the Titanic wreck site. The tragedy underscores the importance of safety and proper preparation in deep-sea exploration.

💡Investigation

An investigation in this context refers to the process of examining the circumstances surrounding the Titan tragedy to determine its cause and identify any responsible parties. The video highlights the frustrations of those involved, including James Cameron, who feel that the investigation has been slow and lacking in transparency.

Highlights

James Cameron reveals the tapping sounds were not from the sub but other noises in the vicinity.

James Cameron claims the world knew the sub occupants were dead from the start.

The Coast Guard conducted a search mission based on hope despite having early classified intelligence of an implosion.

Families of victims received no condolences or explanations from Ocean Gate.

Paul-Henri Nargeolet's daughter treasures a Styrofoam cup that survived the implosion as a memento of her father's final adventure.

James Cameron criticizes Ocean Gate's CEO Stockton Rush for taking pride in breaking safety rules.

The Titan submersible was not certified and used an unconventional carbon fiber composite hull.

Stockton Rush believed in his unconventional approach, using a game controller and touch screens to operate the sub.

The US Coast Guard faced unprecedented challenges in conducting a subsurface search.

Hope was maintained for days due to reports of banging noises, which were later found to be unrelated.

James Cameron had already toasted to the fallen comrades days before the search mission concluded.

James Cameron expresses frustration that the investigative committee did not seek his expertise.

Ed Casano's remotely operated vehicle, Odus 6, discovered the debris, confirming a recovery mission.

Victims' families experienced unnecessary torture due to the lack of disclosure of implosion information.

James Cameron vows to continue deep-sea exploration and build a new sub to honor his friend and ensure safe exploration.

Transcripts

coming up I've broken some rules to make

this carbon fiber and titanium there's a

rule you don't do that well I did you

don't move fast and break things if the

thing you're going to break has got you

inside it not what we thought a year on

from the Titan tragedy we knew right

where the sub was James Cameron reveals

tapping

sound tapping sounds ridiculous what

really happened at the bottom of the

ocean the entire world waiting with

baited breath we all knew they were dead

so the Coast Guard

live that's next on 60

Minutes if there's one small Comfort to

be taken from the Ocean Gate deep sea

submersible disaster it's that death was

instant for the five occupants on board

but a year on from the tragedy there are

still so many unanswered questions like

why the Strang looking craft on a

mission to the wreck of the Titanic

catastrophically imploded and why for

days on end was the world led to believe

there was hope for a successful Rescue

Mission the lack of credible information

about what really happened is now

becoming increasingly

unfathomable not only for other undersea

explorers like Hollywood icon James

Cameron but also for the families of the

victims it's in my home but it's in a

box

because I I don't want to see it every

day because it's make me

remember this bad moment it might not

look like much but this shriveled

Styrofoam cup holds more meaning than

most of us can fathom for sidy nag it's

a treasured trophy the only remaining

evidence of her father's final adventure

to the wreck of the Titanic it must be

so speci for you to have that cup yeah

it's very special because it was with my

dad to his last

moment

so yeah it's uh it's very special an

avid deep sea Explorer Paul lri N made a

habit of taking decorated styrofoam cups

on his missions to see them shrink under

the pressure of descent remarkably this

one somehow surv survived the

catastrophic implosion of the Titan

ocean Gates experimental

submersible the allowed search for a

missing submersible with five people on

board leads to a tragic Discovery and

there are no survivors one year on

cidney is still desperate for answers

but she's never heard from Ocean Gate

they still haven't contacted you to give

condolences or or explain what happened

nothing from them no condolences no we

are sorry nothing that's

extraordinary yeah these guys broke the

rules it's that simple they should not

have been legally allowed to carry

passengers James Cameron is furious too

his friend Sid's dad Paul HRI should be

alive today I got him and he got me

tonight the legendary film director and

Titanic expert is ready to set the

record straight on the frenzied search

mission running all over the surface the

entire world you know waiting with

baited breath talking about 96 hours of

oxygen we all knew they were dead and

why despite five active investigations

the world is still waiting for answers I

think they went by a procedure that was

torturous for the

family seeing her coming out of the

darkness like a ghost ship still gets me

every time James Cameron's knowledge of

the deep goes far beyond his Oscar

winning picture are you ready to go back

to

Titanic he's visited the Titanic Rec

site 33 times and designed and piloted a

submarine to the deepest known point on

Earth I'm at the trench wall I am

working a steep rock cliff over you've

spent more time at the Titanic wreck

than the actual Captain spent on the

Sheep yeah if you do the math it

actually is

true given his credentials you'd think

he'd be an obvious choice for

investigators looking for expert advice

on the Titans ill- fated dive and yet

Jim is still waiting for a phone call

what are you hearing about where the

investigation is up to I've made myself

available I've volunteered to the

investigative committee at the Coast

Guard nothing they haven't interviewed

you I think they want to do things their

way and frankly I think they've kind of

got egg on their face uh and they don't

want outside opinions that's just my

interpretation it's a stunning claim

from one of the world's leading experts

in deep sea

exploration that was you know almost a

year ago so uh that's astonishing to

me why listen to a scientist we've taken

a completely new approach to the subd

design and it's all run with this game

controller and these touch screens so if

you want to go forward you press forward

if you want to go back you go back turn

left turn right go down go up ocean

Gates Maverick CEO Stockton Rush pushed

the limits of sense and safety while

promising passengers an unforgettable

Adventure Ocean Gate Expeditions offers

you the once- in a-lifetime opportunity

to be a specially trained crew member

safely diving to the Titanic wreckage

site the corporate video might sound in

enticing but in reality the Titan was an

untested outlier the only commercial

submersible in the world with a hull

made from carbon fiber composite which

industry experts agree is incapable of

withstanding extreme deep sea pressure

as a result the sub wasn't classed or

certified you're remembered for the

rules you break and you know I've broken

some rules to make this carbon fiber in

titanium there's a rule you don't do

that well I did he seemed to take a real

pride in in his unconventional approach

in breaking the rules exactly and I

think this is this is a place where

you've got to really know your stuff

before you can step outside the box you

don't move fast and break things as they

say in Silicon Valley if the thing

you're going to break has got you inside

it along with other innocent people who

you know who believe you're line of

BS oh June 18 last year Stockton Rush

set off for the most famous shipwreck on

Earth with Paul lri N as guide and three

paying passengers billionaire Explorer

HH Harding Pakistani businessman shazar

Darwood and his teenage son

sullon but less than 2 hours into the

dive on that Sunday communication

stopped and a medeia storm began

Rescuers are racing to find the missing

dive vessel but the US Coast Guard is

not letting up well we received a call

in Boston the afternoon of the 18th they

had put a submersible down on the S side

of the Titanic and they had lost

Communications uh earlier that day

Captain Jamie Frederick knew right away

the US Coast Guard was facing an

unprecedented Challenge and had you ever

received a call of that nature before no

it was certainly an anomalous in fact

I've been in the Coast Guard uh for uh

just about 30 years and I've never dealt

with a subsurface uh search it was

challenging for the families of those on

board it was an unbearable weight with

only one thing keeping them going hope

with all the boats that came all the

people involved for looking for them I

really had hope I really thought they

could find them and find them alive yes

of course I was thinking they would find

them

alive and for a couple of days there a

miracle seemed possible Eerie Echoes of

banging noises picked up by soner

equipment l a fuse under the search for

the

sub painting a haunting picture of the

five men trapped inside at the bottom of

the ocean it just made such a beautiful

media circus you know to talk about a

Race Against Time these poor people

tapping sounds tapping sounds ridiculous

James Cameron wasn't surprised at all

when US Navy analysis found the banging

noises weren't human and were most

likely from the ocean or ships in the

area they're hearing a little crescent

wrench or something tapping against a a

hull over the sound of 11 ships

operating in the immediate vicinity

moving giant pieces of deck equipment

around not possible you know that's like

you know hearing a a sparrow fart over

the Caff of an airport so that whole

thing was maybe a metaphor you'll want

to cut out it's a great metaphor but

you're saying that whole thing was

fiction well we knew I mean my jaw

literally dropped open further and

farther each day that they that they

never cautioned everybody coming up the

incredible rescue plans once we

connected to them they were coming up

and why the entire frenzy was pointless

because as you'll see there was one

critical piece of information the Coast

Guard didn't share 9:25 confirmed

implosion and I literally wrote that on

the pad the moment I heard from my Naval

source so the Coast Guard

lied The Saga of the missing Titan

submersible had all the makings of a

Hollywood movie billionaire explorers

missing on their way to the graveyard of

a ship once thought to be

Unsinkable with the clock ticking oxygen

running out and the world watching I

knew that this was going to be a big

story Ed casano was ready to play the

hero his remotely operated deepsea

vehicle the Odus 6 was the only

submersible that would make it nearly 4

kilm down to the Titanic site and

quickly did you at that point truly

believe this was a rescue mission

absolutely 4 days after the sub

disappeared and spurred on by reports of

banging noises odia 6 descended through

the cold cruel depths of the North

Atlantic Ocean with an incredible

mission to tow them into safety the plan

that we had once we plugged into the

scene was we would go to seafloor we

were rigged for heavy lift we were going

to connect onto the Titan submersible

once we connected to them they were

coming

up it would have been a miraculous

survival story but James Cameron says it

was always fiction tonight revealing for

the first time the moment he knew the

Titan had suffered a catastrophic

implosion I just found this in my in my

file it says this is on uh casad delmare

stationary that's the hotel I was in in

La at the time that I heard about it

9:25 that's a.m 9:25 confirmed implosion

and I literally wrote that on the pad

the moment I heard from my Naval Source

very reliable source that they had uh

heard an event and triangulated it to

the site

that US Naval intelligence of an

implosion near the Titanic Rec site came

just hours after the Titan set off for

James Cameron it was a deeply personal

tragedy his good friend and fellow

Titanic buff pH nag was on board I had a

silent moment because I knew P pH very

well and um posos is how we'd said cuz

he's French right um it was a somber

moment and then it just transformed into

this crazy thing everybody running

around with their hair on fire when we

knew right where the sub was but nobody

could admit that they didn't have the

means to go down and look so they were

running all over the

surface and the entire world you know

waiting with baited breath talking about

96 hours of oxygen we all knew they were

dead we'd already hoisted a glass

you know uh toast to our fallen comrades

on Monday night so the Coast Guard lied

I don't think they lied I think they

went by a procedure that was torturous

for the family unnecessarily

unnecessarily torturous for the family I

don't think they lied they just didn't

disclose they were informed by by Naval

intelligence that the an implosion event

was tracked to the coordinate of the

Titanic Rec site now could it have been

something else one and a trillion

but the Coast Guard insists that

information was

inconclusive as far as Captain Jamie

Frederick is concerned a rescue mission

doesn't become a recovery Mission until

there's tangible evidence had you had at

that early stage reports of Naval

intelligence of an implosion at the

Titanic recite that day had you heard

those reports we received the

information from the from the Navy very

early on that they had detected an

anomaly in the vicinity of the S of the

Titanic but at the time that information

was at a classified level that couldn't

be shared publicly and it also was not

definitive and frankly you know in the

business of search and rescue absent

definitive information we have both we

have a moral responsibility um and a

statutory responsibility frankly to

continue to search so did you genuinely

feel hope that this was still

potentially a rescue operation if

there's one thing that I've learned in

30 years of doing search and rescue if

you don't have hope and you're

conducting a search and rescue case

you're in the wrong business because I

have seen some pretty remarkable things

happen uh over my

career but this time it wasn't to be Ed

casano will never forget the moment his

remotely operated vehicle the Odus 6

spotted debris on the sea

floor it was quiet I remember and uh you

know it it felt like immediately there

was an

answer with what we were

addressing um I would say in general the

feeling was professional but profound it

was obvious that what we were dealing

with was a recovery not a

rescue sidon Nile had been desperately

clinging to hope that her father pH

could be found alive when you learned

there had been a huge implosion how did

that make you reflect on the

search that in fact you know they likely

had been dead for

days I don't really know what to think

about it because in a

way this

church sorry no take your

time take your time

yeah in a way I had hope for for for

days more you know but him being alive

so in a way it's more difficult because

it's hope for nothing but in a way I

thought during 4 days it was still

alive it's a sad irony for syney that

her father's obsession with the

Titanic's watery graveyard would

ultimately claim his life my dad could

spend all day long talking about the

Titanic so he really loved that he was

Mr Titanic to many people yes Mr Titanic

ph's 38th dive to the wreckage alongside

Ocean Gate boss Stockton Rush would be

his

last it never made sense to me how

someone with so much experience would

agree to dive with Ocean Gate knowing

the isas

that's a tricky area for me yeah but I

have to remind myself that pH wasn't an

engineer per se he was an explorer at

heart I also know his heart which was to

go which was to go which was to to dive

do you expect that we charges should

someone be prosecuted I think that that

there should be some changes they didn't

have classification theoretically they

should not have been legally allowed to

carry passengers this is an experimental

sub this is is a dangerous environment

is this a case of the person who should

be prosecuted is in fact already dead

yeah I think the I think the tragedy is

he took others with him he should have

listened to the warnings but don't we

say that about the captain of Titanic

James Cameron is now channeling his

outrage at Ocean Gate and the

investigation into a new deep sea

mission vowing to return to the Titanic

in honor of his dear friend and to make

sure Stockton Russia's failed experiment

is relegated to the history books

exploration will proceed because it must

and because it's part of the human

Spirit right and you know a knucklehead

that made a mistake shouldn't be holding

everybody else back and it won't right

uh we have plans to build a sub that can

can go to 4,000 M and we will wow and I

may even go back in uh to T anic in in

that sub just to prove the point that if

it's done right it can be done

[Music]

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