By Jonathan Mason-June 20th, 2023.
The Titanic sight-seeing submersible vehicle remains missing two miles under the surface of the North Atlantic, as a frantic search-and-rescue operation has been launched from Boston, Mass.
The Titan submersible was thought to be approximately 900 miles (1450km) off the coast of Cape Cod at the time it was reported missing.
The BBC reports that a pipe-laying vessel is at the scene where a tourist submersible went missing with five onboard while diving to the wreck of the Titanic
The ship has two remote-control underwater vessels capable of searching for the OceanGate Titan, but it is not known in what manner they might be able to aid the stricken vehicle if they can find it and broadcast camera signals.
A full list of persons on board has not been made available, however British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman are confirmed as two of the five on board, says the BBC.
Another of those believed to be in the craft is British businessman and explorer Hamish Harding
Paul-Henry Nargeolet, a former French Navy diver who has explored the Titanic before, is also on the vessel.
Stockton Rush, chief executive of OceanGate – the firm behind the dive – is also being widely reported to be on the vessel, but this has not been confirmed. It appears that he has not been available for any public announcements or appeals from the surface ship.
Contact with the small sub was lost about an hour and 45 minutes into its dive to the wreck site off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, on Sunday
It is thought the crew members would have 70 hours of oxygen left at most.
There is worldwide speculation as to what has happened to the vehicle. One theory is that it became tangled in the wreckage of the Titanic, but another theory put forward by some scientists is that the vehicle has simply imploded or collapsed inwards under the immense pressure of water at that depth.
With outside water pressures of over 5000 lbs per square inch, the tiniest leak could lead to instant disaster.
What is of greatest concern is that all communications between the submersible and the mother ship stopped at the time of its disappearance.
The submersible communicates with the mothership via an underwater modem system by using a handheld game controller device, and the mothership then uses text messages sent via satellite phone to communicate back and manoeuver the device.
The absence of any communication could suggest an electronic failure, modem failure, or that the device has imploded.
The module is sealed on the surface with 17 bolts that are tightened by hand and cannot be opened until it is removed from the water, so there is no possibility of escape unless the submersible is raised intact.
Mike Reiss, who went on the missing Titanic sub last year, has said that “you sign a massive waiver that you could die on the trip”.
Reiss, an American television writer and producer, told BBC Breakfast earlier today that he did three separate dives including one to the Titanic. He said:
“You sign a massive waiver that lists one way after another that you could die on the trip. They mention death three times on page one so it’s never far from your mind.”
Souces: BBC, News agencies, The Guardian.
