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American Morning
World's Most Famous Shipwreck in Danger of Disappearing Again
Aired August 14, 2003 - 08:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The world's most famous shipwreck is in danger of disappearing again. The Titanic struck an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic during its maiden voyage back in 1912. The wreck was found until 1985. But now the fragile hull is ready to crumble, partly because so many visitors are descending to the site. Scientists now fear that within 50 years, it could be lost forever.
With us now from Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, the president of the Titanic Historical Society, Edward Kamuda.
Ed, good morning.
Thanks for being with us.
EDWARD KAMUDA, PRESIDENT, TITANIC HISTORICAL SOCIETY: Good morning.
KAGAN: We're going to look at some video now that comes -- or some film that actually comes from a new movie that's going to be in Imax theaters. It's called "Ghosts of the Abyss" and it goes down and it shows us the Titanic. As we look at those scenes, are you able to tell us or show us examples of how the Titanic is falling apart?
KAMUDA: Well, you can see the various rusticles that are growing on the Titanic and they're eating away at the iron. And you can also see the collapsed cabins and such that are on the Titanic. And she is in really terrible shape.
KAGAN: Is the biggest danger here just the fact of being at the bottom of the ocean all these years or the people that are coming by to see it firsthand?
KAMUDA: It's a little bit of both. The Titanic is in her grave site and, of course, the sea is reclaiming her little by little. But, of course, you've had people that have been going down to the Titanic. If you have $36,000, you can take a dive to the Titanic. And there are even beer companies that are sponsoring a voyage to the Titanic. You can win a trip down there.
There have even been people who have won the trip and then gone down and gotten married on the bow of the Titanic, really desecrating the grave site where 1,500 people died.
KAGAN: And is it to their memory that you're most concerned? Because in terms of it being a shipwreck, as you explained, the sea is reclaiming what it does. It's reclaiming the ship. And should you just not let nature take its course? KAMUDA: That is correct, yes.
KAGAN: So what do you think should be done?
KAMUDA: Well, there should be some kind of committee gotten together with the countries of the North Atlantic to sort of regulate who can and who cannot go down to the ship. But then again you're going to have the natural conditions of the sea that are going to deteriorate the ship anyways and within 100 years or so, she might be lost.
KAGAN: And what about the idea of trying to bring as much of the Titanic up to the surface?
KAMUDA: We're very much opposed to that because the Titanic is a grave site for 1,500 men, women and children who died on the ship and there have been at least three survivors of the Titanic who have had their ashes scattered over the site. So to us it's best just to leave it alone. This is what Dr. Ballard said in 1985 when he discovered the wreck.
KAGAN: And so it sounds to me like you're trying to ask people for respect, not to go down there as often and as freely as they have been. But other than that, as you said, let nature take its course and appreciate what we have now while we have it, but realize that there is a limited time that goes with it.
KAMUDA: Yes, we have the Titanic Historical Society Museum here in Indian Orchard that has a lot of the materials that the survivors saved from the ship. And people can come in and look at this material and appreciate it. We don't need to bring up any more.
KAGAN: Edward Kamuda from the Titanic Historical Society, the president of that organization.
Thank you for your time.
We appreciate that and your showing us those pictures, as well.
KAMUDA: You're welcome.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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Aired August 14, 2003 - 08:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The world's most famous shipwreck is in danger of disappearing again. The Titanic struck an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic during its maiden voyage back in 1912. The wreck was found until 1985. But now the fragile hull is ready to crumble, partly because so many visitors are descending to the site. Scientists now fear that within 50 years, it could be lost forever.
With us now from Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, the president of the Titanic Historical Society, Edward Kamuda.
Ed, good morning.
Thanks for being with us.
EDWARD KAMUDA, PRESIDENT, TITANIC HISTORICAL SOCIETY: Good morning.
KAGAN: We're going to look at some video now that comes -- or some film that actually comes from a new movie that's going to be in Imax theaters. It's called "Ghosts of the Abyss" and it goes down and it shows us the Titanic. As we look at those scenes, are you able to tell us or show us examples of how the Titanic is falling apart?
KAMUDA: Well, you can see the various rusticles that are growing on the Titanic and they're eating away at the iron. And you can also see the collapsed cabins and such that are on the Titanic. And she is in really terrible shape.
KAGAN: Is the biggest danger here just the fact of being at the bottom of the ocean all these years or the people that are coming by to see it firsthand?
KAMUDA: It's a little bit of both. The Titanic is in her grave site and, of course, the sea is reclaiming her little by little. But, of course, you've had people that have been going down to the Titanic. If you have $36,000, you can take a dive to the Titanic. And there are even beer companies that are sponsoring a voyage to the Titanic. You can win a trip down there.
There have even been people who have won the trip and then gone down and gotten married on the bow of the Titanic, really desecrating the grave site where 1,500 people died.
KAGAN: And is it to their memory that you're most concerned? Because in terms of it being a shipwreck, as you explained, the sea is reclaiming what it does. It's reclaiming the ship. And should you just not let nature take its course? KAMUDA: That is correct, yes.
KAGAN: So what do you think should be done?
KAMUDA: Well, there should be some kind of committee gotten together with the countries of the North Atlantic to sort of regulate who can and who cannot go down to the ship. But then again you're going to have the natural conditions of the sea that are going to deteriorate the ship anyways and within 100 years or so, she might be lost.
KAGAN: And what about the idea of trying to bring as much of the Titanic up to the surface?
KAMUDA: We're very much opposed to that because the Titanic is a grave site for 1,500 men, women and children who died on the ship and there have been at least three survivors of the Titanic who have had their ashes scattered over the site. So to us it's best just to leave it alone. This is what Dr. Ballard said in 1985 when he discovered the wreck.
KAGAN: And so it sounds to me like you're trying to ask people for respect, not to go down there as often and as freely as they have been. But other than that, as you said, let nature take its course and appreciate what we have now while we have it, but realize that there is a limited time that goes with it.
KAMUDA: Yes, we have the Titanic Historical Society Museum here in Indian Orchard that has a lot of the materials that the survivors saved from the ship. And people can come in and look at this material and appreciate it. We don't need to bring up any more.
KAGAN: Edward Kamuda from the Titanic Historical Society, the president of that organization.
Thank you for your time.
We appreciate that and your showing us those pictures, as well.
KAMUDA: You're welcome.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Again>
