The submersible ship that went missing while visiting the Titanic wreck may only have 70 hours of oxygen left
The submersible that went missing in the Atlantic Ocean while visiting the wreck of the Titanic is believed to have carried five people and may only have enough oxygen left for 70 hours.
"We are doing everything we can to locate the submersible and rescue the people in it," Rear Admiral John Mauger of the US Coast Guard told reporters on the evening of June 19 (the morning of June 20, Hanoi time). Cabinet) in Boston, Massachusetts. "Information from the operator shows that the vessel has a sufficient emergency oxygen supply for 96 hours. We estimate the current oxygen level is about 70 hours or more."
The submersible named Titan, operated by OceanGate Expeditions and providing tours of the Titanic's wreckage, began diving into the Atlantic on the morning of June 18 and lost contact with the ship above water less than two hours later. The train is said to carry five people, including a driver.
The submersible model specializes in bringing tourists to the Titanic wreck. Photo: OceanGate Expeditions
The US Coast Guard announced it was searching an area about 1,450 kilometers from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The Canadian Coast Guard has also deployed aircraft and support ships. "Searching in that remote area is a challenge, we're deploying all of our resources to the operation," Mauger added.
One of the passengers on board could be British billionaire Hamish Harding, 58. Mr. Harding had previously posted on social media about the trip. Sky News reports that among those on board were Paul-Henry Nargeolet, a French submersible pilot, and OceanGate Expeditions founder and CEO Stockton Rush.
Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman were also on board the sub, according to a family statement.
Rear Admiral Mauger did not comment on the identities of those present on Titan.
Alistair Greig, professor of marine engineering at UCL University, UK, has two theories based on images of Titan. According to Mr. Greig, if there had been an electronic or communication problem, the ship would have surfaced and was "waiting to be found".
"The other scenario is that the hull has been damaged, causing water to flow in," he said. "This situation has a poor prognosis." Meanwhile, "very few ships" are capable of diving to the same depth as Titan.
British billionaire Hamish Harding could be a passenger on the missing Titan submersible. Photo: Facebook/HamishHarding
The passenger liner Titanic sank after hitting an iceberg in 1912, killing 1,514 of the 2,224 people on board. Titanic's body was found in 1985 at a depth of nearly 4,000 meters, about 600 km from Newfoundland, Canada .
Since then, many scientists and professional expeditions have approached the area. OceanGate Expeditions in 2020 announced a tour to see the wreck of the Titanic at a cost of about 250,000 USD per person. Submersibles usually carry five people, including a driver, three passengers and a person the company describes as a "content expert".
The submersible has a limited power reserve so it cannot leave port and return on its own, but needs a mother vessel to bring it to position and recover it. During the tours, Titan was taken by a ship to the location of the wreck of the Titanic from the city of St John's on the island of Newfoundland. A tour, including diving and ascent, of the submersible lasts about 8 hours.
Location of the Titanic wreck in the Atlantic Ocean. Graphics: Guardian
The submersible went missing while carrying passengers to visit the wreck of the Titanic
A submersible went missing in the Atlantic Ocean while carrying passengers touring the wreck of the Titanic, prompting US authorities to launch a large-scale search. 62