RMS Titanic was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, UK, to New York City, United States.
The ship had 16 lifeboat davits that could each lower three lifeboats, for a total of 48 boats. However, she only carried 20 lifeboats, and four of them proved difficult to launch as she was sinking. More over 1,500 of the estimated 2,224 passengers and personnel on board died. The story was turned into a 1997 American epic, disaster, and romance themed feature film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. The film, which is based on the sinking of the RMS Titanic, stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, who play two young people from different social classes who fall in love with each other.
The 2022 Titanic Expedition, a venture of OceanGate Expeditions, shot the 8k footage. The video shows the renowned bow of the Titanic, the portside anchor, hull number one, a massive anchor chain (each link weighs close to 91 kilos or 200 pounds), the number one cargo hold, and strong bronze capstans.
A portside anchor bearing information about the manufacturer, Noah Hingley & Sons Ltd., as well as stunning degradation evidence where piece of the Titanic’s rail has disintegrated and fallen away from the ship, were also photographed.
According to Heritage Daily’s report, one of the single-ended boilers that dropped to the ocean floor when the Titanic split in two is also seen in the video. Notably, one of the single-ended boilers was the first to be discovered when the Titanic’s wreckage was located back in 1985.
According to Stockton Rush, president of OceanGate Expeditions, “The amazing detail in the 8k footage will help our team of scientists and maritime archaeologists characterise the decay of the Titanic more precisely as we capture new footage in 2023 and beyond. Capturing this 8K footage will allow us to zoom in and still have 4K quality which is key for large screen and immersive video projects. Even more remarkable are the phenomenal colours in this footage.”
“In comparing footage and images from 2021, we do see slight changes in certain areas of the wreck. Our science team will be reviewing the 8k, 4k, and other footage captured during the 2022 Titanic Expedition for any changes. Having experts aboard the Titan submersible when we dive allows them to assess the shipwreck through direct observation, guide our exploration of different features of the wreck, and continue their study using the imagery.”
As additional footage is filmed by upcoming expeditions and can be compared year after year, it is anticipated that the footage will help scientists determine the Titanic’s pace of destruction. With the aid of scientists, the film will also support the identification of species found on or near the Titanic, and archaeologists will be able to more thoroughly record various aspects of the wreck and debris field.