The Titan submersible was en route to the renowned site near St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, when communication with its support vessel was abruptly lost. The crew members now find themselves with a limited oxygen supply, estimated to last only 3 to 4 days.
As part of an eight-day expedition organised by OceanGate Expeditions, the submersible embarked on a journey from Newfoundland to explore the Titanic wreckage. The wreck site, situated approximately 900 miles (1,450 kilometers) off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, required a 400 nautical mile voyage.
On Sunday morning, the submersible commenced its two-hour descent towards the wreck. However, approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes into the dive, contact with the support ship, the Polar Prince, was lost. Promptly following the incident, search operations were initiated to locate the missing submersible.
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Rescue Mission Underway for Missing Submersible "Titan" Exploring Titanic Wreckage
The submersible named "Titan" embarked on its expedition with one pilot and four mission specialists on board. Unfortunately, approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes into its descent, the submersible lost contact with its mother ship. About the size of a minivan, the Titan is equipped with repurposed everyday items, including a video game controller for steering.
Operated by OceanGate Expeditions, the Titan typically carries 96 hours of life support at the start of each trip. However, this timeframe is considered relatively short, according to retired Captain Bobbie Scholley, a former US Navy diver. Finding the submersible presents a significant challenge, and once located, there are multiple complexities involved in safely bringing it to the surface and rescuing the crew.
The ongoing international search and rescue operation, characterised as a complex endeavour, has thus far yielded no results, according to US Coast Guard Captain Jamie Frederick. He emphasised the collaborative efforts of the nations' finest experts engaged in the unique and demanding search mission. At the time of the press conference, Captain Frederick estimated that the submersible had approximately 40 hours of oxygen remaining, leaving uncertainty about whether it would be sufficient for a successful rescue operation
The recovery mission is expected to present significant complexities.
In the event that search teams locate the submersible at great depths in the ocean, the subsequent mission to recover both the craft and any individuals aboard is anticipated to be highly intricate.
Retired Captain Chip McCord, drawing from his extensive 30-year experience in the US Navy overseeing salvage operations, emphasized the scarcity of assets capable of descending to such profound depths. Given the ocean floor's extreme depth, a search craft would need to navigate in a vertical manner, resembling an elevator, rather than cruising along the seabed.
Furthermore, the submersible itself, constructed with advanced carbon fiber and titanium materials, carries a weight of 23,000 pounds, further adding to the complexity of any potential recovery operation.
Following the arrival of new equipment at the scene, search efforts have expanded beneath the sea's surface after extensively scouring an area of the ocean spanning a size similar to that of Connecticut, as reported by Rear Admiral John Mauger of US Coast Guard District 1 on Tuesday morning. The search zone encompasses an area approximately 900 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and reaches depths of 13,000 feet, as initially disclosed by Mauger on Monday afternoon.
While officials leading the search operation have refrained from publicly disclosing the identities of those aboard the submersible, their names have been revealed through social media posts and information shared by friends and family.
According to a source familiar with the mission plan, Stockton Rush, the CEO and founder of OceanGate, is one of the individuals on board the submersible. CNN's reporting indicates that the other individuals include British businessman Hamish Harding, Pakistani billionaire Shahzada Dawood, his son Sulaiman Dawood, and French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
At the time of writing, OceanGate had not responded to CNN's request for comment regarding Rush's presence on the submersible.
Efforts are diligently underway to locate and recover the lost submersible, along with all individuals on board. Specialised teams and resources have been mobilised, leaving no stone unturned in the search and rescue mission. The collective determination and expertise dedicated to this operation instill hope for a successful recovery of both the missing submersible and the individuals who were onboard.
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