RIP

The company behind the ill-fated submersible designed to explore the depths of the sea covered itself from the perils of underwater exploration with a comprehensive liability waiver, and we have a copy.

The document -- used on a trip from last summer -- repeatedly mentions the risk of serious injury or death, and tells passengers they assume the risk without any recourse against the company.

OceanGate makes it clear ... even if it's negligent in the design or operation of the vessel, the passengers have no legal recourse. The document states, "I hereby assume full responsibility for the risk of bodily injury, disability, death, and property damage due to the negligence of [OceanGate] while involved in the operation."

Here's how robustly the company covered itself, telling passengers what they're up against.

-- "A portion of the operation will be conducted inside an experimental submersible vessel. The experimental submersible vessel has not been approved or certified by any regulatory body and may be constructed of materials that have not been widely used in human occupied submersibles."

-- "When diving below the ocean surface this vessel will be subject to extreme pressure, and any failure of the vessel while I am aboard could cause severe injury or death."

-- "If I choose to assist in the servicing or operation of the submersible vessel, I will be exposed to risks associated with high-pressure gases, pure oxygen servicing, high-voltage electrical systems and other dangers that could lead to property damage, injury, disability and death."

And then comes the waiver ... "I understand the inherent risks in the activities that will be undertaken during the operation, and I hereby assume full responsibility for all risks of property damage, injury, disability, and death .... I hereby agree to defend, indemnify, save, and hold harmless OceanGate Expeditions, Ltd. ... from any loss, liability, damage, or costs they may incur to due to any claim brought in violation of this Release."

As you know, the 5 passengers onboard the Titan vessel were declared dead, after the craft apparently imploded deep below the surface of the ocean.

A Vegas tycoon didn't like the odds of surviving a trip aboard the ill-fated Titanic submarine -- and his intuition saved his life.

Jay Bloom says he could have been a passenger on the OceanGate-owned Titan submarine that claimed the lives of 5 people after the vessel imploded during a voyage to see the remnants of the Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean.

OceanGate chief executive Stockton Rush even offered Bloom and his son a sweet discount from $250K to $150K per person -- but Bloom still blew it off, which, looking back now, was a life-saving decision.

In a Facebook post, Bloom shared text messages from February he traded with Rush about going on the Titanic expedition.

One text exchange showed how Bloom's son was clearly apprehensive about going on the voyage with Bloom stating, "My son's friend researched what could go wrong and put a little scare in him. He's excited to go, but concerned about the danger."

Quavo's a one-man marketing MACHINE in Paris, where he's dropping a new clothing collection ... and appears ready to blow the lid off a new music project!!!

We got some pretty cool footage of Quavo Thursday completely shutting down the city's popular Rue Notre-Dame de Nazareth … and as you can see the superstar rapper drew hundreds of people out to see him in action.

With it being Paris Fashion Week and all, Quavo also introduced a new line of “Rocket Power” merch, so named in honor of his late nephew and collaborator Takeoff.

He’s been going hard with the hashtag “Rocket Power” on social … which furthers Takeoff’s legacy as well.

Quavo also occupied local boutique Le25Vintage and dropped a few new fiery tracks while joined by his brother YRN Lingo and crew.

You can hear the passion in his voice, and a full buffet of trap lyrics on the tracks.

James Cameron is going to catch a lot of heat for this ... he just blamed the Titanic-bound submersible tragedy on the captain, callously comparing it to the famous shipwreck.

The "Titanic" director shared his hot take on the submersible's deadly implosion, which killed all 5 people onboard, with ABC ... and it's shocking to hear.

James says ... "I'm struck by the similarity of the Titanic disaster itself, where the captain was repeatedly warned about ice ahead of his ship and yet he steamed at full speed into an ice field."

In short, James is blaming the tragedy on OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush .. who piloted the Titan submersible on the ill-fated mission.

James is considered a bit of an expert in this field ... in addition to winning Oscars for "Titanic," he also made 33 dives to the bottom of the Atlantic to see the shipwreck up close.

Some folks are critical of OceanGate and Stockton for exploring 2.5 miles below the surface in a tiny submersible navigated with consumer product parts, and James seems to be in that camp.

The 5 passengers aboard the submersible that went missing while attempting to explore the Titanic wreckage are dead ... according to the expedition company.

OceanGate Inc. gave a statement Thursday, saying those aboard the Titan vessel "have sadly been lost" ... calling them "true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world's oceans."

Officials say they located a debris field about 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic wreckage. Within that debris field, there was 5 "major" pieces of debris discovered to lead them to believe the vessel imploded.

The announcement comes just hours after a debris field was spotted near the Titanic's wreckage Thursday, and experts quickly got to work on evaluating what they found ... while a friend of 2 of the missing men claimed it was a landing frame and rear cover of the vessel.

The 22-foot-long sub, dubbed Titan, was first reported missing Sunday evening by its parent company, OceanGate Expeditions. The org says it first lost communication with its deep-sea voyagers about a couple hours into their descent ... and flagged the authorities hours later when it failed to emerge to the surface when it was scheduled to.

Since then, the U.S. Coast Guard and even Canadian officials have engaged in a full-blown search and rescue effort -- deploying all sorts of teams and equipment in hopes of finding Titan ... not to mention its five occupants, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush -- who's said to have been piloting the submersible on this particular mission.

OceanGate offers tourism rides down to the Titanic for $250k a pop. The other people who were inside included British explorer Hamish Harding, researcher/diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, as well as his son Suleman.

The sub is reported to have limited life support ... including only 96 hours worth of breathable air which would have run out Thursday morning.

Search crews detected banging noises over their sonars during the hunt on Tuesday in the Atlantic Ocean, going off in 30-minute intervals ... and according to CNN, an internal U.S. government memo says the noise would help assist the crew in finding the vessel.

OceanGates' technology for its submersible has also come under scrutiny in recent days. While parts of Titan were made with top technology, other elements -- including several components on the inside -- were revealed to have been comprised of makeshift consumer goods ... including gaming remote controls, basic light fixtures, and other simple parts.

Reports have indicated that a former employee of OceanGate once tried flagging what he claimed were safety concerns about Titan to his bosses in 2018 -- only to be allegedly fired after doing so ... at least according to a whistleblower complaint detailing his allegations.

Experts have said the likelihood of the passengers' survival was slim to none, considering the circumstances.

Even former Coast Guard Captain Andrew Norris filled us in on the multiple miracles that would be needed in order to ensure the passengers survived the terrifying incident.

We covered all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

2:38 PM PT -- Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's attorney, Jason Bowles, tells us, "Something is rotten in Denmark. It is shocking that after 20 months of investigation, the special prosecutor now throws in a completely new charge against Ms. Gutierrez Reed, with no prior notice or any witness statements, lab reports, or evidence to support it."

He continues, "This comes on the heels of the state letting its lead investigator go, and the investigator raising serious concerns about the investigation in an email. This stinks to high heaven and is retaliatory and vindictive."

"Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has found herself in the crosshairs of prosecutors once again, this time for allegedly transferring narcotics the day Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed on set.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Reed's been charged with tampering with evidence after prosecutors claim she, "did transfer narcotics to another person with the intent to prevent the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of herself."

The documents do not state what type of narcotic Gutierrez-Reed allegedly had in her possession, but the development is significant in light of other allegations prosecutors have made about the disgraced armorer.

In another filing last week, prosecutors accused Reed of drinking and using marijuana after working on the set ... explaining she may have shown up on the job hungover and lacking proper alertness and awareness to perform her duties efficiently.

At the time of the allegations, Hannah's attorney, Jason Bowles, told us, "The prosecution has so mishandled this case and the case is so weak that they are now resorting to character assassination tactics to further taint the jury pool. This investigation and prosecution has not been about seeking Justice; for them it’s been about finding a convenient scapegoat."

Hannah's also been charged with involuntary manslaughter for Hutchins' death.

The 4 kids who survived a fatal plane crash in Colombia and then somehow made it out alive after 40 terrifying days in the jungle are not out of danger ... because they are now prime targets for kidnapping.

TMZ has prepared a documentary on their incredible survival story that airs tonight on FOX at 8 PM ET, and the doc ends with the question -- Where do they go from here? Fact is, the kids -- ages 13, 9, 4 and 11 months at the time of the crash -- are now national celebrities.

People on the ground in Colombia who know the lay of the land tell us, ransom is currency in their country, and insurgents frequently target high-profile people for kidnapping.

As the kids recover physically and emotionally, government officials are trying to figure out who should care for them, and safety is a big factor.

You'd think their father would become the caregiver, but a bitter custody battle has exploded between the dad and the maternal grandparents. The grandparents claim the dad, Manuel Ranoque, was physically abusive toward the kids' mom, even striking her with a machete. The father tells TMZ he has never abused his late wife or the kids.

The four children who survived a plane crash in Colombia last month and then fended for themselves in the treacherous Amazon jungle for 40 days, actually hid from their rescuers ... TMZ has learned.

The kids -- ages 13, 9, 4, and 11 months -- were onboard a Cessna that crashed in a Colombian jungle nose first, killing their mom, the pilot, and another man. Their survival story is incredible, and the subject of a TMZ documentary -- "TMZ Investigates: The Miracle Children of the Amazon" -- which airs tonight on FOX at 8 PM ET.

TMZ has had boots on the ground in Colombia since June 9, when the kids were rescued. As we report in the doc, military GPS shows rescuers were in earshot of the kids days before they were rescued, but the children hid from them. We're told they feared the rescuers were actually insurgent forces that would kill them.

There are two survival stories here -- surviving in the jungle amid wild animals, snakes, poisonous bugs, and deadly fruit, and surviving the plane crash itself. As for how they survived the crash, three of them were in the back of the plane, which remained relatively intact. As for the infant, she was cradled by her mother, who cushioned the child during impact.

Larry Myers Jr. -- who appeared on Season 10 of "My 600-Lb. Life" -- has died in Texas.

Family spokesperson Sonya Hines-Hall tells TMZ ... Larry -- nicknamed "Mr. Buttermilk Biscuits" on the TLC show -- died from a heart attack at his Houston home last week while mourning the death of a friend.

Larry's relatives announced his passing on social media ... and set up a GoFundMe page to pay for his funeral costs. They also remembered Larry as a talented gospel singer who didn't let his struggle with weight dim "his drive to show love and kindness to all he met."

When Larry appeared on the TLC show in an episode that aired in January 2022, he was bedbound and tipped the scale at a whopping 940 pounds.

Larry underwent weight-loss surgery back in the day, but he gained 400 pounds after the procedure ... leading to his appearance on 'My 600-lb Life."

He was 48.

It turns out Max Verstappen's dominant win at the Canadian Grand Prix was even more impressive than it looked ... 'cause the Formula One superstar completed the race with a dead bird stuck to his car!!

The Red Bull driver ran over the poor thing during Lap 11 of Sunday's event in Montreal ... which he hilariously detailed to his team on the radio.

But the animal apparently wanted one last joyride before going to bird heaven ... 'cause it got trapped in the right brake duct of Verstappen's car, where it remained until the checkered flag was waved.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner praised the champ's ability to handle the unique situation ... saying it was "a very, very controlled race by him."

It's not the first time the 25-year-old has had some run-ins with animals mid-race -- he also hit a squirrel at the Italian GP in 2021.

Sunday's win over Fernando Alonso (second) and Lewis Hamilton (third) marked Verstappen's sixth first-place finish in eight races so far in 2023 ... which has him sitting comfortably at the top of the Driver Standings over teammate Checo Perez.

Trippie Redd and the late XXXTentacion's 2017 collab "F**k Love" recently hit a billion streams and now has a Diamond certification to add to its legacy.

The news rang out on Father's Day, which also happened to be Trippie's 24th birthday -- so, he was excited to share the Diamond announcement with his fans ... noting the proclamation is dated with his born-on date.

He celebrated amongst friends and his girlfriend Skye Morales, who made sure he had his cake and could eat it too ... because she got him 2 of 'em!!!

"F**k Love" was released on XXX's debut album and is the only song to have a guest feature ... and he clearly picked the perfect one for a monster hit!!!

Trippie proclaimed XXX to be the 🐐 and swore he was holding down the fort in his absence.

Internet Money producers Nick Mira and Taz Taylor also shared their excitement for the new plaque coming their way.

Former "Days of Our Lives" star Cody Longo died from years of hard drinking ... according to the medical examiner.

Cody's autopsy report, obtained by TMZ, says the late actor's cause of death was "chronic ethanol abuse" ... and the report also notes the manner of death was natural.

What's more, the autopsy says Cody's body was decomposing when he was found dead ... and the death scene was littered with alcohol bottles.

TMZ broke the story ... in February, 34-year-old Cody was found dead in a bed at a residence in Austin, Texas.

Sadly, the autopsy results will not come as a shock to those who knew Cody -- his family previously told us he had struggled with alcohol abuse for years and went to rehab in the summer of 2022.

They already believed he had relapsed and that alcoholism ultimately killed him.

Quavo and Offset have managed to push past whatever wedge came between them following Takeoff's death to celebrate their fallen comrade's birthday, which would have been his 29th.

On Sunday, the 2 remaining Migos were both chatting it up in Atlanta while wearing Takeoff memorial shirts.

The 2 rap stars nearly came to blows -- only to be separated by Cardi B -- back in February, but time has apparently healed their wounds.

Both men also dropped solo tributes to Takeoff on their IGs.

Takeoff was killed last November ... and his mother is currently seeking justice in the form of a lawsuit aimed at the venue where the shooting took place.

Milton Powell -- aka, Big Pokey, a longtime Houston rapper -- died this weekend after a scary fall onstage that came out of nowhere ... and which ultimately took his life.

The Texas-based MC collapsed at a bar in neighboring Beaumont late Saturday night. Video is circulating showing Pokey standing on what appears to be a two-story stage, where he seems to be performing ... as he has a mic in his hand, and he's interacting with a DJ.

Suddenly, BP lets out a big breath into the microphone ... and he starts to tip backwards, completely losing his footing/going unconscious and falling hard onto the stage. It's jarring.

At first, everyone seems to think it might not, perhaps, be that serious ... as you can hear some snickers in the crowd. However, it quickly becomes clear something is wrong -- and everyone around starts to attend to him in a panic ... seeing that he isn't waking back up.

A woman -- who says she's a nurse -- rushes to his side and tries to administer aid. Everyone else is fanning air and trying to help regain consciousness ... to no avail. Reports say EMS showed up a little after midnight and that he was transported to a hopsital.

Once there, he eventually died ... although it's unclear what the cause of death may be.

His rep confirmed Pokey's passing with a statement, saying ... "It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of our beloved Milton ‘Big Pokey’ Powell."

They add, "Big Pokey passed away ... He was well loved by his family, his friends, and his loyal fans. In the coming days, we will release information about his celebration of life and how the public can pay their respects. We ask that you respect his family and their privacy during this difficult time. Big Pokey will forever be ‘The Hardest Pit in the Litter!'"

Fellow Houston rapper Bun B shared his condolences online, writing ... "I wasn’t ready for this. One of the most naturally talented artists in the city. Low key, humble mountain of a man who moved with honor and respect. He was easy to love and hard to hate. He’d pull up, do what he had to do and head home. One of the pillars of our city. If heart of gold was a person. Iconic member of the SUC. There will never be another and will be missed dearly. We love and honor you Sensei. Rest in heaven."

Pokey was huge in the local scene, having gotten his start by collaborating with DJ Screw ... and helping launch the chopped-and-screwed style of the South that became wildly popular. He's put out tons of projects over the years ... and was considered a Houston legend.

Some A-list performers will not play on for the Beyond Wonderland EDM festival's final day as police investigate a mass shooting that killed 2 people and injured several others.

The bullets started flying Saturday night around 8:30 PM at a campground near Gorge Amphitheater, where the festival was being held in Central Washington state. Police say the suspect was firing randomly into the crowd as he fled the area.

Cops were able to track down the suspect and arrest him, and they say he also suffered a gunshot wound. They've yet to release any other info about the suspect.

National data shows we've now reached 307 mass shootings in 2023.

Dozens of statues Michael Jackson displayed at his Neverland Ranch are going back up for grabs ... but instead of a package deal this time, the art is up for sale individually.

Noble Art Lovers tells TMZ ... the private collector who owns 28 pieces from the singer's infamous California estate is still trying to sell the art, and is no longer seeking $2.5 million for the collection as a whole.

Instead, the entire collection is being sold separately, with most of the statues going for five figures ... shipping not included.

Michael's bronze statues include several images of children ... one such art piece is called "Kids and Tree Swing," and it's going for $150,000. Ditto for another one depicting kids, called "Follow the Leader."

TMZ broke the story ... Noble Art Lovers put the statues up for sale back in April 2021 as a package deal for $2.5 million ... and we're told some affluent potential buyers showed interest, but no one closed the deal.

Noble Art Lovers, based out of Dubai, hopes the separately priced statues will give more folks a chance to own a piece of Neverland.