International search efforts are underway to find a submersible that vanished while taking five individuals down to the wreck of the Titanic in the North Atlantic. The vessel, known as the Titan, had a 96-hour oxygen supply when it left on its journey, but less than two days of oxygen remained when it was reported overdue on Sunday night, causing concern for the safety of the passengers and crew. The search has so far covered 10,000 square miles, but no sign of the Titan has been found. The submersible had two communication systems, but both stopped working an hour and 45 minutes after it submerged. Experts say there are a number of possible reasons for this, including power loss, a hull breach, or entanglement with the wreck of the Titanic.
The search is being conducted by a fleet of ships and airplanes, including three C-17s from the US military that have transported a commercial company’s submersible and support equipment from Buffalo, New York, to St. John’s, Newfoundland. The Canadian research icebreaker Polar Prince, which was supporting the Titan, is continuing to conduct surface searches with the help of a Canadian Boeing P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, while two US Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft are conducting overflights. The Canadian military has also dropped sonar buoys to listen for any possible sounds from the Titan.
The submersible was piloted by Stockton Rush, the CEO of the company leading the expedition. His passengers were British adventurer Hamish Harding, two members of a Pakistani business family, and a Titanic expert. Rush had described the Titan’s technology as “very cutting edge” and said it was the only crewed submersible made of carbon fiber and titanium. The expedition was OceanGate’s third annual voyage to chronicle the deterioration of the Titanic, which sank in 1912, killing all but about 700 of the roughly 2,200 passengers and crew.
The search is complex, and authorities are facing steep challenges. Alistair Greig, a professor of marine engineering at University College London, said there are several possible scenarios that could have cut communications, including a power failure, a communication failure, an electrical fire, or a leak in the pressure hull. If the submersible has gone down to the seabed and cannot get back up under its own power, options are very limited, Greig said. The submersible had seven backup systems to return to the surface, including sandbags and lead pipes that drop off and an inflatable balloon. One system is designed to work even if everyone aboard is unconscious.
The search will continue, but time is running out, with the Titan having less than two days of oxygen left. The mission support fee for the 2023 expedition is $250,000 per person, according to OceanGate’s website. Rush was known to be a risk taker and a visionary who wanted to push things forward, said Greg Stone, a longtime ocean scientist based in California and a friend of Rush.
Original Story at apnews.com – 2023-06-20 21:18:02