A search and rescue mission is currently taking place in the North Atlantic as a submersible, which was investigating the Titanic wreck, has gone missing.
The research vessel Polar Prince lost communication with the crew of the Titan sub after approximately one hour and 45 minutes into its dive. The US Coast Guard has estimated that the sub has between 70 and 96 hours of emergency oxygen remaining as of 17:00 EST (22:00 BST) on Monday.
Out of the five individuals aboard the Titan submersible, three have been officially identified. They include Hamish Harding, a 59-year-old British businessman and explorer, as well as Shahzada Dawood, a businessman from Pakistan, and his son Suleman Dawood.
OceanGate, a tour company, stated that it is exploring all possible avenues to ensure the safe return of the crew, while government agencies have also joined the rescue efforts.
On Sunday morning, the Polar Prince reached the vicinity of the Titanic wreck in the Atlantic Ocean. According to a Facebook post by Hamish Harding, a member of the Titan crew, they anticipated commencing the submersible dive at 04:00 local time.
The Boston Coast Guard, responsible for leading the search operation, announced via Twitter that the five-person crew “submerged Sunday morning, and approximately one hour and 45 minutes into the dive, the crew of the Polar Prince lost contact with them.”
Read Also: China’s Space Technology Institute Finger-Marks 400 Spacecraft Launch
At the time, the Titan submersible was believed to be located around 900 miles (1450km) off the coast of Cape Cod.
Rear Admiral John Mauger of the US Coast Guard stated on Monday that conducting a search in such a remote region presents significant challenges.
The Titan submersible is designed to accommodate a crew of five individuals and has the capability to descend to depths of 4,000 meters (2.5 miles). It can travel at a speed of three knots, equivalent to approximately 3.5 miles per hour.
In addition to its purpose of transporting divers to explore the Titanic wreck, the Titan submersible serves various other functions. These include conducting site surveys and inspections, engaging in research and data collection activities, facilitating film and media production, as well as performing deep-sea hardware and software testing.
Subscribe to Switch TV for more content.
