newest information on the Titanic sub: what is known about the quest for the OceanGate submersible
The North Atlantic is the scene of a significant search and rescue operation after a submersible probing the Titanic wreck vanished on Sunday.
One hour and forty-five minutes into the dive, the research vessel Polar Prince lost touch with the Titan sub’s crew. As of Tuesday about 13:00 EST (18:00 BST), the US Coast Guard believed that the sub had 40 hours of emergency oxygen remaining.
Government authorities have joined the rescue effort, and tour operator OceanGate said it was looking into every possibility to send the crew back home safely.
How far along is the rescue operation?
The size of the US state of Connecticut, or about 7,600 square miles, had been searched so far, according to US Coast Guard captain Jamie Frederick on Tuesday afternoon.
At least one remote-controlled submersible is now contributing to the search effort, and additional vessels are anticipated to join later on Tuesday.
The search, according to Capt. Frederick, was a “very complex” and “unique operation” made more challenging by the location’s isolation.
A commercial pipe-laying ship has arrived to assist, according to expedition leader and marine scientist David Mearns, who has been monitoring the operation.
We’re just hoping that it has the potential to look for the submersible and be able to recover it at those kinds of depths, 3,800 metres, he said. “There is a chance that might happen.”
Titan sub includes heated walls and a toilet with a curtain.
On Sunday morning, the Polar Prince made his initial approach to the Titanic wreck, while the Titan was set to begin its dive at an early hour of 4:00 local time. One hour and 45 minutes into its descent, at around 09:45 local time, the Titan lost touch with Earth.
The Polar Prince lost touch with the submersible, and it took some time before the US Coast Guard was alerted.
Eight hours after the incident was reported, at around 17:45, the Coast Guard claimed to have learned of it. The agency’s Boston command centre then started coordinating search operations.
The Titan submersible is believed to be 400 miles (643 km) south of St. Johns, Newfoundland, and 900 miles (1450 km) east of that city.
Rear Admiral John Mauger of the US Coast Guard stated on Monday that there are two parts to the search: a surface search in case the Titan has returned to the surface of the ocean but lost contact in some way, and an underwater sonar search.
In addition to a Canadian C-130 and a P8 aircraft with underwater sonar capability, the Coast Guard has sent two C-130 Hercules aircraft to search for the submersible on the water’s surface. Additionally, sonar buoys are being set very nearby.
According to Mr. Mauger, the Coast Guard has asked the US Navy and the commercial sector for assistance and that extra knowledge would be required to save the ship if it were discovered underwater.
The Canadian Coast Guard vessel Kopit Hopson was assisting in the search, according to the Canadian Department of Defence, along with the aircraft.
Former US undersecretary of defence Mike Mulroy told the BBC that the only ships likely capable of connecting with the submarine and hauling it to the surface would be specialised US Navy remote submersibles.
A second vessel, the Horizon Arctic, has also been despatched to the location, according to Horizon Maritime, which also shares ownership of the Polar Prince.
Who was in the crew?
Four of the five persons aboard the Titan have so far been identified: explorer and businessman Hamish Harding, 58; Shahzada Dawood, 48; and Suleman Dawood, 19; as well as 77-year-old French explorer Paul-Henry Nargeolet.
Earlier this month, Mr. Harding revealed his decision to join the group and noted that the crew of the ship includes “a few legendary explorers, some of whom have done over 30 dives to the RMS Titanic since the 1980s.”
Action Aviation, a multinational firm situated in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, that works with sales and operations in the business aviation sector, is chaired by Mr. Harding.
A family spokesman told the BBC that Paul-Henry Nargeolet, a French explorer, was also on board. The “Mr Titanic” explorer is a former French navy diver who has apparently spent the most time at the Titanic debris of any explorer.
According to OceanGate, each mission lasts eight days, and each dive is intended to have a scientific goal, such as examining the wreck’s deterioration.
The company’s website states that the first dive happened in 2021.
First-ever full-sized scans show a wreck in a previously unseen state.
How could it have possibly ended up?
Prof. Alistair Greig, a submarine expert at University College London, told Science Correspondent Pallab Ghosh that he has explored a variety of possibilities for the whereabouts of the lost submersible.
One is that following an emergency, it discharged a “drop weight” to lift it to the surface.
He explained that if there had been a communication or power loss, the submersible might have experienced this and been bobbing around on the surface looking for help.
He adds that another possibility is that the hull was damaged, causing a leak. The prognosis is poor, then.
There are very few options if it descends to the seafloor and is unable to ascend again on its own, according to Prof. Greig.
Watch: The filmed Stockton Rush, the CEO of the firm, aboard the Titanic submarine in 2022.
“While the submersible may still be in tact, very few vessels, and most definitely not divers, can reach depths of more than 200 metres (656 feet). The Titanic’s depth can’t even come close to being reached by the navy submarine rescue vehicles.
About the Titan, what do we know?
The Titan is a five-person submersible that can go at three knots, or around 3.5 miles per hour, down to depths of 4,000 metres (2.5 miles).
In addition to transporting divers to the Titanic wreck, it is utilised for deep water testing of hardware and software, site assessment and inspection, research, and data collection.
The Titan is “equipped with cutting-edge lighting and sonar navigation systems as well as internally and externally mounted 4K video and photographic equipment,” the manufacturer claims.
The five-person sub features a system for real-time hull monitoring, according to OceanGate’s website.
Titanic wreck shown in never-before-seen detail by scans
In order to evaluate the structural integrity of the sub, it incorporates sensors that analyse the impact of changing pressure on the sub as it dives.
The company claims that this onboard health analysis monitoring technology gives the pilot early warning detection so that they have time to safely stop their dive and return to the surface.
The Titan is “equipped with cutting-edge lighting and sonar navigation systems as well as internally and externally mounted 4K video and photographic equipment,” the manufacturer claims.
The five-person sub features a system for real-time hull monitoring, according to OceanGate’s website.
Titanic wreck shown in never-before-seen detail by scans
In order to evaluate the structural integrity of the sub, it incorporates sensors that analyse the impact of changing pressure on the sub as it dives.
The company claims that this onboard health analysis monitoring technology gives the pilot early warning detection so that they have time to safely stop their dive and return to the surface.
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