Titanic tourist sub still missing as rescuers race against time
Published: 05:06 PM,Jun 20,2023 | EDITED : 08:06 PM,Jun 20,2023
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BOSTON: Rescuers were in a race against time to find a missing submersible on Tuesday, two days after it lost communication while taking wealthy tourists to see the wreckage of the Titanic in deep waters off Canada’s coast.
One pilot and four passengers were on board the submersible that disappeared on Sunday. The operating company said it had the capacity to stay underwater for up to 96 hours — giving those aboard until early on Thursday before air ran out.
US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger in television interviews on Tuesday said rescuers continued their efforts overnight and were expanding their search into deeper waters, telling NBC News that authorities were prioritising the area where the vessel was operating.
Those aboard the submersible, the highlight of a tourist expedition that costs $250,000 per person, included British billionaire Hamish Harding and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood with his son Suleman.
The 77-year-old French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Stockton Rush, founder and CEO of the vessel’s US-based operating company OceanGate, were also reported to be on board. Authorities have not confirmed the identity of any passenger.
“We are very grateful for the concern being shown by our colleagues and friends and would like to request everyone to pray for their safety,” Dawood’s family said on Tuesday.
US and Canadian ships and planes have been sweeping the area about 1,450 km east of Cape Cod, some dropping sonar buoys that can monitor to a depth of 3,962 meters.
Rescuers face significant challenges both in finding the Titan and in saving the people aboard, according to experts.
If the submersible experienced an emergency in mid-dive, the pilot would likely have released weights to float back to the surface, according to Alistair Greig, a professor of marine engineering at University College London. But absent any communication, locating a van-sized submersible in the vast Atlantic could prove challenging, he said.
If the Titan is on the ocean floor, a rescue effort would be difficult due to the extreme conditions more than two miles below the surface. The Titanic lies 3,810 meters underwater, where light does not penetrate. Only specialised equipment can reach those depths without getting crushed by the massive water pressure.
“It’s really a bit like being an astronaut going into space,” said Tim Matlin, a Titanic expert.
— Reuters
One pilot and four passengers were on board the submersible that disappeared on Sunday. The operating company said it had the capacity to stay underwater for up to 96 hours — giving those aboard until early on Thursday before air ran out.
US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger in television interviews on Tuesday said rescuers continued their efforts overnight and were expanding their search into deeper waters, telling NBC News that authorities were prioritising the area where the vessel was operating.
Those aboard the submersible, the highlight of a tourist expedition that costs $250,000 per person, included British billionaire Hamish Harding and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood with his son Suleman.
The 77-year-old French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Stockton Rush, founder and CEO of the vessel’s US-based operating company OceanGate, were also reported to be on board. Authorities have not confirmed the identity of any passenger.
“We are very grateful for the concern being shown by our colleagues and friends and would like to request everyone to pray for their safety,” Dawood’s family said on Tuesday.
US and Canadian ships and planes have been sweeping the area about 1,450 km east of Cape Cod, some dropping sonar buoys that can monitor to a depth of 3,962 meters.
Rescuers face significant challenges both in finding the Titan and in saving the people aboard, according to experts.
If the submersible experienced an emergency in mid-dive, the pilot would likely have released weights to float back to the surface, according to Alistair Greig, a professor of marine engineering at University College London. But absent any communication, locating a van-sized submersible in the vast Atlantic could prove challenging, he said.
If the Titan is on the ocean floor, a rescue effort would be difficult due to the extreme conditions more than two miles below the surface. The Titanic lies 3,810 meters underwater, where light does not penetrate. Only specialised equipment can reach those depths without getting crushed by the massive water pressure.
“It’s really a bit like being an astronaut going into space,” said Tim Matlin, a Titanic expert.
— Reuters