Fact Check: Was James Cameron exploring the Titanic wreckage on 9/11? Viral claim explored amid submarine's implosion

The ill-fated Titanic-bound submersible was all the internet could talk about for the past week. Amidst the news of its implosion and movie director James Cameron's analysis of the same, a viral claim has now taken over social media. According to the claim, James Cameron was underwater exploring the Titanic wreckage during the 9/11 attacks.

The viral claim is true. On September 11, 2001, James Cameron was underwater in a research vessel, filming scenes of the wreckage for the documentary, Ghosts of the Abyss. A viral video showcases Cameron emerging from his deep-sea expedition only to be told of the tragedy that unfolded in the world above him by late actor, Bill Paxton.

During August and September 2001, James Cameron and a few scientists went on an expedition to the wreck of the RMS Titanic in hopes of getting detailed footage of the wreck for Ghosts of the Abyss, the first 3D film produced by Walt Disney Studios.

Russian deep-submersibles were used in the expedition, along with two remotely operated vehicles, named, "Jake" and "Elwood."

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"Why do people watch Titanic? It's partly because they can cry": James Cameron on how his film helped "interpret" the 9/11 disaster

In the viral clip, after Cameron gets off the submersible, he is seen asking, "What is this thing that's going on?" In response, Late actor and Cameron's friend, Bill Paxton, is heard saying:

"The worst terrorist attack in history, Jim.”

Paxton, who narrated the documentary, then went on to detail what had happened.

In an Interview with Spiegel International in 2012, Cameron recounted the events that unfolded:

"The day the 9/11 terrorists murdered 3,000 people in New York and Washington, I was just diving to the Titanic. Twelve hours later, I came back to our mothership," he said.

He added:

"I was presumably the last man in the Western Hemisphere to learn about what had happened."

James Cameron expressed his doubts about why he was filming underwater history while the ground above was shaking with the creation of new history. However, he came to the realization that the movie could help in interpreting this new disaster. He told Spiegel:

"I realized that (the film) "Titanic" gave us help in interpreting the new disaster, in exploring the feelings of loss and anger. Why do people watch "Titanic"? It's partly because they can cry."

He added:

"Loss is a part of our life; it's about love and death and about death partly defining love. And these are things we all have to cope with."

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"I feel that this was such a preventable tragedy": James Cameron on the Titan Submarine tragedy

After the confirmation of the implosion of the Titanic-bound submersible, James Cameron and Oceanographer Robert Ballard, the first person to locate the wreckage, told ABC News that they instantly knew what had happened:

"Jim called me and told me about it and we both instantly knew that it was gone," Ballard said.

He added:

"They were on their descent and then when the tracking system went out and everything went out, the only way you could explain it was a catastrophic implosion."

Cameron stated that they were approached by many outlets but "it just seemed like speculation".

"It would be insensitive to come forward with a dissenting voice to the story that was in motion at the time," he added.

Cameron expressed how the families might have felt during the situation, especially given the false hope. He also explained the irony of the Titanic sinking because of bad seamanship and bad decisions - a parallel that could be drawn with the fate of the submersible as well.

"I feel that this was such a preventable tragedy. We've never had a tragedy like this in the entire history of deep submergence," he said.

He added:

"I had deep concerns about the technology they were using - composite fiber wound filament Hull - which I don't believe has any place in deep submergence."

James Cameron, who has undertaken 33 dives to the wreckage and designed and piloted his own submarine to the Challenger Deep in 2012, was also critical of the Titan vessel's design and lack of safety and depth certification.