Early Tuesday, search teams in a secluded region of the Atlantic Ocean raced against the clock in search of a lost submersible carrying five individuals, on a mission to survey the remains of the Titanic, the legendary ocean liner that sank over a hundred years ago.
The submersible, dubbed the Titan, was part of an OceanGate Expeditions project, was carrying a pilot, a famed British adventurer, two members from a prominent Pakistani business family, and another passenger. The vessel was reported overdue on Sunday night approximately 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland, as per Canada’s Joint Rescue Coordination Center.
As every minute ticks by, the peril for the Titan’s crew escalates. The submersible had a 96-hour oxygen supply when it embarked at about 6 a.m. Sunday, says David Concannon, an adviser to OceanGate.
“Given the remoteness of the area, conducting a search there is challenging,” commented Rear Adm. John Mauger, a commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, which is also on the hunt for the Titan. “Nonetheless, we’re deploying all available resources to locate the craft and rescue its crew.”
The Canadian research icebreaker Polar Prince, supporting the Titan, reportedly lost communication with the vessel around an hour and 45 minutes post submersion. The Polar Prince continued surface searches overnight, and a Canadian Boeing P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft will recommence their surface and subsurface search in the morning, tweeted the U.S. Coast Guard. Two U.S. Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft have also executed flyovers.
MarineTraffic.com’s ship-tracking satellite data, as analyzed by The Associated Press, showed the Polar Prince about 430 miles (690 kilometers) southeast of St. John’s on Tuesday morning. The Bahamas-registered cable layer Deep Energy was also nearby, likely assisting in the surface search.
In an email to the AP, Concannon, who was scheduled to be on the dive but couldn’t go, mentioned that officials are working to dispatch a remotely operated vehicle capable of reaching a depth of 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) to the site as soon as possible.
OceanGate’s expeditions to the Titanic wreck site consist of archaeologists and marine biologists. The company also includes paying passengers, referred to as “mission specialists.” They alternate in operating sonar equipment and performing other tasks in the five-person submersible.
According to the Coast Guard, there was one pilot and four “mission specialists” on board. However, the OceanGate’s website indicates that the fifth person on board might be a so-called “content expert” who guides the paying customers.
OceanGate expressed its primary concern was those aboard and their families.
“We’re immensely grateful for the extensive support we’ve received from various government agencies and deep-sea companies in our attempts to reestablish contact with the submersible,” it commented in a statement.
British businessman Hamish Harding, based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, was one of the mission specialists, as per Action Aviation, a company where Harding serves as chairman. The company’s managing director, Mark Butler, informed the AP that the crew embarked on Friday.
“There’s still ample time to execute a rescue mission, survival equipment is onboard for such an event,” Butler said. “We’re all hoping and praying for his safe return.”
Also aboard were Pakistani nationals Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, according to a family statement sent to the AP. The Dawoods belong to one of Pakistan’s most distinguished families, investing nationwide in agriculture, industries, and the health sector via their namesake firm.
“We appreciate the concern shown by our colleagues and friends and request everyone to pray for their safety, granting the family privacy at this
