Discovery of the Wreck

The wreck was discovered in 1985 by Dr. Robert Ballard and his team, resting 12,500 feet below the surface, about 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. The ship was found in two main pieces: the bow and stern, with a debris field stretching across the seafloor.

The ship has deteriorated rapidly due to “Halomonas titanicae” bacteria consuming the steel and creating rusticles. Parts of the ship, such as the captain's bathtub and sections of the promenade, have collapsed into the debris field. Scientists estimate that the wreck could deteriorate completely within the next few decades.

James Cameron has made multiple dives to the wreck, notably in 1995 before filming his movie Titanic. He used submersibles and robotic cameras to capture detailed footage, contributing to the most comprehensive mapping of the wreck site.
In 2001, he produced the documentary "Ghosts of the Abyss," exploring the ship with advanced technology and uncovering new details about its current state.
His work not only brought public attention to the wreck but also raised important questions about the ethics of exploration and artifact recovery.

More than 5,500 artifacts have been recovered, ranging from jewelry, dishware, personal items, and pieces of the ship's hull. These artifacts are preserved and displayed in museums around the world.
There is controversy over whether salvaging artifacts respects or desecrates the ship’s status as a grave site. The UNESCO Convention and the RMS Titanic Maritime Memorial Act protect the site from unauthorized exploration and salvage.