The missing Titanic submersible, named Titan, has been the focus of an international search effort in the North Atlantic. The vessel, owned by OceanGate Expeditions, was designed to explore the site of the Titanic wreckage with five individuals on board, including a British explorer, a father and son from Pakistan, a French Titanic expert, and the CEO of OceanGate.
The estimated deadline for when the passengers may have run out of oxygen is approaching, and efforts are being made to locate and rescue the submersible before that happens. As of today’s date, the submersible remains missing, and there are concerns about the diminishing oxygen supply on board .
The search for the missing submersible has involved both air and underwater efforts. Surface search missions were conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Canadian Joint Rescue Coordination Centre using maritime surveillance planes. However, these air efforts did not yield any results, leading to a shift in focus towards underwater search efforts led by OceanGate Expeditions due to their knowledge of the site.
The Titan submersible was estimated to have approximately 40 hours of oxygen left when it went missing . Despite ongoing search operations, the chances of a successful rescue have decreased as the vessel’s oxygen supply is believed to have expired on Thursday morning 7 a.m. ET. The exact time when the oxygen would run out is uncertain, but estimates suggest it could have happened early Thursday morning . The vessel’s oxygen supply was initially estimated to last around 96 hours.
The search operation faces various challenges, including challenging weather conditions, the depth of the search area, and technical issues experienced during previous dives to the Titanic wreck site. However, search teams remain persistent and hopeful of a positive outcome as they continue their efforts. The U.S. Navy has also dispatched a salvage system capable of lifting heavy undersea objects to assist in the search.
Rescue teams have been using remote-operated vehicles to search for the missing submersible near the area where underwater noises were detected. However, locating the submersible has proven challenging due to the depth of the wreckage site, which is approximately 12,500 feet deep. The complexity of the search has presented difficulties for the involved authorities, as the US Coast Guard lacks a vehicle capable of reaching such depths .
Despite the grim prospects of a successful rescue, the search efforts are ongoing, and authorities are referring to the operation as a rescue mission rather than a recovery mission. The unified team involved in the search is working tirelessly to bring all available expertise and assets to solve this complex problem . However, the chances of finding the missing submersible intact and its occupants alive diminish as time passes and the oxygen supply depletes.
