The tragic sinking of the Titanic
More than 1,500 people – around 70 percent of the passengers onboard – tragically perished after the Titanic hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic in April 1912.
What happened to the bodies of over 1,000 passengers on the Titanic when it sunk is a science 'we don't know much about'
As new photos of the shipwreck show shoes and champagne bottles belonging to those on board, MailOnline spoke to experts for their take on the missing passengers.
James Delgado, a maritime archaeologist and historian who has dived into the wreck himself, said there could be 'some semblance of human remains' still inside what's left of the luxury liner.
But the bodies of around 1,160 passengers were never found.
Of the 2,224 people on board the Titanic, an estimated 1,517 lost their lives when the ship sank in the early hours of April 15, less than three hours after hitting the iceberg.
Around 340 bodies with lifejackets still on them were recovered from the ocean's surface, but 1,160 bodies were unaccounted for and never seen again.
Maritime archaeologist, historian and senior vice president of archaeology firm SEARCH Inc., James Delgado has since weighed in on the matter.
In the interview with the Daily, Delgado suggested that over 1,000 bodies remain inside the ship
In an interview with the Mail Online last year, Delgado voiced scientists believe there 'could be a possibility' that 'some semblance of human remains' left inside the ship.
Speaking to MailOnline from Washington DC, Delgado said that 'even teeth dissolve' after sustained periods on the ocean floor, which is mostly populated by microbial life such as bacteria.
He has made two expeditions down to the Titanic's remains, in 2000 and in 2010, and called it a 'very sobering and powerful place'.
'What you see which is very compelling is pairs of shoes splayed, suggesting this is where they ultimately came to rest,' said Delgado, who is senior vice president of archaeology firm SEARCH Inc.
'It's a tangible reminder of the loss of these lives.'
A haunting photo of a boot lying next to what's thought to be a coat, surrounded by crockery, was released in 2004, and is just one example of the personal property in the debris that no longer has an owner.
Delgado said such physical items should be treated with respect as if they themselves are human parts.
Cameron has previously said he's 'seen clothing' and 'shoes' which 'would strongly suggest there was a body there at one point'.
However, the director similarly echoes he's 'seen zero human remains' so it's a fact that cannot be confirmed.
Why over 1,000 bodies were never recovered from the Titanic wreckage
If the bodies did come to rest within the boat, it's not a surprise no one's been able to spot them when surveying the wreckage, many likely having decomposed before the wreck was even found in 1985.
'The water will assist in the dissolution or the dissolving of this bone mineral and of course the fragile organic proteins that help glue the bone together.'
Professor Cassella said there could be human bones that remain in ruins even after 100 years, but this depends on saltwater levels, the pH of the water, and the effects of microorganisms.
The Titanic's wreck wasn't found until September 1985, over 73 years after the sinking.
Even in a cold and low-oxygen environment such as the bottom of the ocean, the decomposition of the bodies would have been slowed down but not stopped, according to Professor Cassella.
