Desperate Search for Missing Titanic Submersible Reaches Critical 96-Hour Mark for Oxygen Supply

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In a race against time, the search for the missing submersible involved in an expedition to explore the wreckage of the Titanic has surpassed the crucial 96-hour threshold, which marks the potential depletion of breathable air. The situation has become increasingly grim as rescuers intensify their efforts to save the five individuals on board.

However, experts have emphasized that the initial estimation of oxygen supply was imprecise and could be extended if the passengers have implemented measures to conserve breathable air. Nevertheless, the fate of those aboard remains unknown since the submersible’s disappearance.

Rescue teams have swiftly mobilized ships, aircraft, and various equipment to the location of the incident. The U.S. Coast Guard reported on Thursday that a Canadian vessel had deployed an undersea robot that successfully reached the ocean floor. Additionally, a deep-diving robot equipped with cameras, lights, and manipulator arms, provided by a French research institute, has also joined the operation.

Authorities are banking on underwater acoustics to aid in narrowing down the search area, which has been expanded to cover thousands of miles—an expanse twice the size of Connecticut and submerged in waters measuring 2 1/2 miles (4 kilometers) in depth.

The Titan, which went missing south of St. John’s, Newfoundland, approximately 435 miles (700 kilometers) from its destination—the site where the iconic ocean liner sank over a century ago—had been reported overdue on Sunday afternoon. OceanGate Expeditions, leading the expedition, has been documenting the decay of the Titanic and the surrounding underwater ecosystem through annual voyages since 2021.

By Thursday morning, hope was dwindling regarding the possibility of finding any survivors among the vessel’s passengers.

Numerous obstacles still impede the rescue mission, ranging from pinpointing the submersible’s precise location to reaching it with suitable rescue equipment and eventually bringing it to the surface, assuming it remains intact. All of these challenges must be overcome before the passengers’ oxygen supply is depleted.

Dr. Rob Larter, a marine geophysicist from the British Antarctic Survey, emphasized the difficulty of locating an object the size of the submersible, measuring around 22 feet (6.5 meters) in length and 9 feet (nearly 3 meters) in height.

He explained, “You’re dealing with complete darkness, where an object just a few dozen feet away can be missed. It’s akin to finding a needle in a haystack unless you have a reasonably precise location.”

The area of the North Atlantic where the Titan disappeared on Sunday is notorious for foggy and stormy conditions, further exacerbating the challenges of conducting a search-and-rescue mission. Moreover, the passengers must endure freezing temperatures.

Meanwhile, recently surfaced allegations suggest significant concerns were raised regarding vessel safety during the development of the submersible.

News outlets worldwide commenced their broadcasts at the critical hour on Thursday, providing updates on the submersible’s situation. Al Arabiya, a Saudi-owned satellite channel, displayed a countdown clock on air, indicating the estimated time when the air supply might potentially be exhausted.

Captain Jamie Frederick of the First Coast Guard District expressed optimism the day before, stating that authorities were still holding onto hope of rescuing the five passengers on board.

Frederick said, “This is a search-and-rescue mission, without a doubt.”

While the detected sounds offer a glimmer of hope in narrowing down the search area, their exact origin and source remain undetermined.

Frankly, Frederick admitted, “We don’t know what they are.”

Retired Navy Capt. Carl Hartsfield, now the director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Systems Laboratory, described the sounds as “banging noises.” However

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More about missing submersible

• CNN: Search for missing Titanic submersible passes critical 96-hour mark
• BBC News: Search for missing Titanic submersible intensifies
• The Guardian: Rescue efforts underway for missing submersible in Titanic expedition
• National Geographic: The Search for the Missing Titanic Submersible
• OceanGate Expeditions: Official Website