The US Coast Guard has confirmed that a Canadian P-3 aircraft detected “noises” in the vicinity where the tourist submersible went missing near the Titanic wreck site. Rescue teams analysed the sounds detected by the aircraft. They have relocated underwater operations to investigate their source.
Despite conducting remotely operated vehicle (ROV) searches, no positive results have been obtained so far. The US Coast Guard, in a tweet, stated that they are continuing with the ongoing ROV searches despite the lack of findings. An internal US government memo, obtained by US media outlets, mentioned that on Tuesday, “banging” sounds were heard at 30-minute intervals.
Additional sonar was deployed four hours later, and the sounds were still detectable. CNN and Rolling Stone reported on this potential development. But the memo did not specify the exact timing of the banging sounds on Tuesday. The media outlets have contacted the Department of Homeland Security for comment regarding the memo.
Limited Oxygen Supply for Missing Submersible
The submersible went missing on Sunday when contact was lost one hour and 45 minutes into its dive. Reaching over halfway towards the wreck. Five individuals were on board the vessel, with the US Coast Guard estimating that they have less than 30 hours of oxygen remaining.
The search operation, based in Newfoundland, Canada, has thus far been unsuccessful. However, it is expanding its resources and incorporating rescue expertise from private firms. The mission is challenging due to the lack of communication from OceanGate’s Titan Submersible. And the limited visibility below the water’s surface.
The search area covered thus far spans approximately 7,600 square miles (1,970 square kilometres), larger than the US state of Connecticut. Captain Jamie Frederick of the Coast Guard expressed that their crews are working tirelessly to locate the Titan and its five crew members.
International Support in the Rescue Mission
British businessman Hamish Harding, British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, his son Suleman, French explorer Paul-Henry Nargeolet, and Stockton Rush. Along with the chief executive of OceanGate, are the five individuals sealed inside the submersible using external bolts. This sealing mechanism renders it impossible for them to escape, even if the submersible resurfaces.
Collaboration among US and Canadian agencies, navies, and commercial deep-sea firms drives the rescue operation. With coordination based in Boston, Massachusetts. The search employs military planes, a submarine, and sonar buoys. Ongoing efforts focus on transporting heavy equipment to the search site. That includes two Canadian Coast Guard ships and a Royal Canadian Navy ship equipped with a six-person mobile hyperbaric recompression chamber capable of treating decompression sickness.
OceanGate Expeditions: Offering Tourist Expeditions to the Titanic Wreck
During its maiden voyage in 1912, the Titanic, renowned as the largest ship of its time, sank after colliding with an iceberg. Resulting in the loss of more than 1,500 lives out of the 2,200 passengers and crew members. Since its discovery in 1985, explorers have extensively investigated the wreckage of the Titanic.
In the search efforts, private vessels and international support, including a French vessel with a subsea robot and a remotely operated vehicle equipped with a camera, have played a crucial role. The research ship Polar Prince, supported by the commercial ship Deep Energy, actively scoured the ocean’s surface during the tourist expedition on Sunday.
OceanGate Expeditions, an organization offering expeditions to the Titanic wreck, provides an eight-day experience for a cost of $250,000 (£195,270) per guest. The wreck rests at a depth of 12,500 feet (3,800 meters) on the Atlantic Ocean floor.
