The ship carrying five people lost control of its mother ship one hour and 45 minutes after starting the dive to the Titanic wreck. The Titan submersible, which disappeared in the Atlantic during an expedition to the Titanic wreck last Sunday, ran out of oxygen reserves on Thursday. Although it was estimated that the oxygen would run out at 7:08 (ET time), specialists point out that there are several factors that may influence its consumption.
The search operation continues with the deployment of remotely operated vehicles by the Canadian ship Horizon Arctic and the French ship L’Atalante in the depths of the Atlantic. So far, no results have been obtained in the search for the vessel with five people on board. The submersible was capable of diving to 4,000 meters and had oxygen for 96 hours, according to OceanGate Expeditions, the ship’s operator.
Despite efforts in the search area, authorities have been unable to determine the source of the underwater noises detected. Although it was initially thought that they might be strikes, US authorities ruled out that possibility. Simon Boxall, professor of oceanography at the University of Southampton, said the physical condition of the people on board is a key factor in oxygen consumption.
Although there are concerns about oxygen deprivation, the US Coast Guard has said it will continue the search effort, taking into account the people’s will to live. The Titan submarine lost contact with its mother ship, the Polar Prince, approximately one hour and 45 minutes after beginning the dive more than 600 kilometers southeast of St. John’s, Canada. On board the submersible were British billionaire Hamish Harding, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, French submersible pilot Paul-Henry Nargeolet, and OceanGate CEO and founder Stockton Rush.
Following the submersible’s disappearance, reports surfaced from industry leaders warning of possible catastrophic results from the Titanic’s voyages. In addition, it was revealed that the submersible was operated via a video game controller, raising concerns about safety. A former OceanGate subcontractor explained that the controller was designed with high-tech and expensive capabilities, as corny as that sounds.
Historian and retired Spanish Navy officer Federico Santaella stated that there is no chance of survival for the crew members of the submersible. According to him, a rescue at that depth is almost impossible, and he criticized the company for carrying out the expedition despite negative safety reports.