Rescue teams are racing against time to locate a missing tourist submarine that disappeared while exploring the wreck of the Titanic in the North Atlantic on June 19, according to The Guardian.
“A small submarine carrying 5 people has gone missing in the area near the Titanic wreck. This submarine can operate underwater for 96 hours. We are unsure whether the submarine is still on the seabed or has surfaced due to losing contact,” said the U.S. Coast Guard.
The company OceanGate Expeditions stated in a brief announcement on June 19 that they are “mobilizing all options” to rescue those aboard the vessel named Titan.
The Titan submarine, made from a composite of carbon fiber and titanium, is operated by OceanGate for trips to the Titanic wreck site. (Photo: OceanGate).
Although the submarine was reported missing on June 19, the vessel lost contact with the surface 1 hour and 45 minutes after starting its journey on the afternoon of June 18.
Among the 5 passengers on board are a British explorer, a veteran, and a French submarine expert.
Speaking at a press conference on the night of June 19, Rear Admiral John Mauger, who is leading the rescue operation, stated that emergency forces “are doing everything they can” to locate the Titan and its passengers.
U.S. and Canadian ships and aircraft are actively operating in waters approximately 1,450 km east of Cape Cod, deploying sonar buoys capable of detecting objects at depths close to 4,000 meters.
However, the U.S. military noted that the search process is “very complex” due to the uncertainty of whether the submarine has surfaced, requiring authorities to monitor the surface as well as areas with depths reaching nearly 3,900 meters.
“We are trying to make the most of every moment within the 96-hour window. Our sole objective is to find the 5 passengers on board the vessel,” Rear Admiral Mauger said.
In a statement to AP, David Concannon, an advisor to OceanGate, indicated that the 96-hour oxygen reserve began depleting when the submarine descended into the ocean at 6 a.m. on June 18.
According to him, officials are working to deploy an autonomous submarine capable of diving to depths of 6,000 meters to assist in the search efforts.
OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owns the Titan, has been conducting tourist expeditions to the Titanic wreck site, located about 595 km offshore from Newfoundland, Canada, since 2021.
The company is currently undertaking its “fifth mission” to the Titanic in 2023, which was scheduled to begin the week prior and is expected to end on June 22.
To visit the Titanic wreck, passengers enter the Titan, a submarine designed for 5 people.
The expedition costs $250,000 per person, departing from St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, before traveling approximately 643 km into the Atlantic Ocean to the Titanic wreck site.
One of those aboard the Titan is Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a former French naval officer and expert in submarine operations.
As a Titanic wreck expert, Nargeolet is believed to have been piloting the Titan when the vessel lost contact. This former naval officer has led numerous expeditions to the Titanic wreck and has recovered over 5,000 artifacts from the site, including a 20-ton section of the hull.
“Our only concern is for the passengers on board the vessel and their families. We also appreciate the support from the governments of multiple nations and ocean exploration companies in the efforts to establish contact with the Titan,” OceanGate stated on June 19.
