(CNN) 鈥� , who directed the hit 1997 film 鈥淭itanic鈥� and has himself made 33 dives to the wreckage, offered some thoughts Thursday after it was announced that a missing Titanic-bound submersible suffered a 鈥�,鈥� killing five people on board.
鈥淚鈥檓 struck by the similarity of the Titanic disaster itself, where the captain was repeatedly warned about ice ahead of his ship and yet steamed at full speed into an ice field on a moonless night and many people died as a result,鈥� 鈥淎nd with a very similar tragedy where warnings went unheeded, to take place at the same exact site, with all the diving that鈥檚 going on all around the world I think it鈥檚 just astonishing. It鈥檚 really quite surreal.鈥�
A desperate search and rescue mission had been underway since the submersible went missing Sunday.
US Coast Guard Rear Adm. John Mauger said Thursday that a remotely operated vehicle had located the tail cone of the Titan submersible about 1,600 feet away from the bow of the shipwreck.
OceanGate, the company behind the trek, released a statement Thursday stating it believes the five passengers have 鈥渟adly been lost.鈥�
鈥淲e now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, have sadly been lost,鈥� the company said in a statement. 鈥淭hese men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world鈥檚 oceans. Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew.鈥�
Ironically Rush鈥檚 wife, , is a descendant of retailing magnate Isidor Straus and his wife, Ida, who were part of the group of more than 1500 people who died during the Titanic鈥檚 maiden voyage, according to New York Times
Cameron is an experienced deep sea explorer who in 2012 dove to the Mariana Trench, considered one of the deepest spots in the Earth鈥檚 oceans at almost seven miles below the surface, in a 24-foot submersible vehicle he designed called the Deepsea Challenger.
On Thursday, he told ABC News 鈥渕any people in the community were very concerned鈥� about the Titan鈥檚 suitability for the ill-fated trip.
In 2012, about the dangers of deep sea exploration.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e going into one of the most unforgiving places on earth,鈥� he said then. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not like you can call up AAA to come get you.鈥�
The-CNN-Wire
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