July 15 (UPI) — James Cameron, the Academy Award-winning director of “Titanic”, dismisses rumors suggesting his interest in producing a movie centered on the OceanGate submersible accident that claimed the lives of five individuals last month.
“I usually do not respond to offensive rumors in the media, but I feel the need to address this now. I am NOT in discussions regarding an OceanGate film, and I have no intentions to do so,” Cameron shared on Twitter on Saturday.
OceanGate recently announced the suspension of all exploration and commercial activities following the tragic implosion of one of its vessels during a mission to the ocean floor to observe the wreckage of the Titanic, which sank in 1912 and claimed the lives of over 1,500 people.
Cameron, who not only wrote and directed the timeless film “Titanic” but also played a key role in the development of technologies used to safely explore and capture rare footage of the wreckage, made 33 dives to visit the remains of the ill-fated luxury liner. He publicly criticized the safety of the OceanGate vessel and expressed his belief that it should not have been permitted to transport passengers.
“The similarity between this tragedy and the Titanic disaster is striking. In both cases, the captains were repeatedly warned about the dangers ahead, yet they proceeded at full speed into treacherous circumstances. Many lives were lost as a result. It is truly astonishing that a similar tragedy, where warnings were ignored, occurred at the exact same location amidst the ongoing diving activities worldwide. It feels surreal,” Cameron recently stated in an interview with ABC News.
Among the victims of the fatal accident involving the Titan submersible last month was OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.
