Rare footage of the first filmed expedition of the RMS Titanic on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean has been released to the public to enjoy to mark the 25th anniversary of James Cameron's blockbuster film on the ill-fated ship.
Released by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a nonprofit research and higher education facility, the 1-hour 21-minute long video published on Youtube shows rare, uncut and unnarrated footage of the ship that was the first time its wreck was viewed by human eyes since sinking in 1912.
The infamous White Star Liner, built in Belfast, sank on her maiden journey from Southhampton to New York City on April 15 1912 after striking an iceberg, killing an estimated 1500 passengers.
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In September 1985 the wreck of Titanic was first located as a result of a joint French-American expedition by Jean-Louis Michel of the French National Institute of Oceanography (IFREMER) and Robert Ballard of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).
Following this discovery of the wreck site, Ballard returned to the Titanic in July 1986 with the deep-diving submersible DSV Alvin allowing them to see the ship for the first time since her sinking - with the remotely operated vehicle Jason Jr. allowing them to investigate the interior of the wreck.
This rare footage has been used to mark the remastered release of Titanic, a fictional love story that reintroduced the world to one of the most famous ships in history.
In a statement, director and explorer James Cameron said: "More than a century after the loss of Titanic, the human stories embodied in the great ship continue to resonate.
"Like many, I was transfixed when Alvin and Jason Jr. ventured down to and inside the wreck.
"By releasing this footage, WHOI is helping tell an important part of a story that spans generations and circles the globe."
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