The Titanic submersible, which was got missing in the North Atlantic ocean carrying five passengers, has run out of the oxygen.
The US Coast Guard estimates that the Titanic submersible ran out of oxygen around 7 AM (Eastern Time) on Thursday, equivalent to 4 PM in Pakistan’s local time.
It is pertinent to mention here that these were merely projections and can vary by a few years. However, officials have been stressing the urgency of finding the submarine as soon as possible.
The US Coast Guard confirmed that a remote-operated vehicle (ROV) reached the sea floor on Thursday morning to search for the missing submarine. The ROV was deployed by the Canadian vessel Horizon Arctic.
According to David Concannon, Advisor to OceanGate Expeditions, the 22-foot, carbon-fiber, submarine contained 96-hour oxygen backup when it began its journey on Sunday. The small seacraft has been carrying people on a tour toward Titanic’s wreckage since 2021.
The search crew detected underwater banging noises on Wednesday, which gave hope that the passengers were trying to send a signal for help. However, nothing came out of it.
Also, recovery of the seacraft is going to be extremely challenging because the rescue team must first locate it and then bring it to the surface, which takes around 8 eight hours if it is near the debris of the Titanic, according to the reports.
Dr. Albert Rizzo, Chief Medical Officer of the American Lung Association, warned that insufficient oxygen levels will lead to organ failure and loss of consciousness.
In addition, Lawrence Brennan, a Professor at Fordham University’s School of Law, said that if the submersible is at the bottom of the sea, it will be imposiblle to bring it back because there is no equipment available to do so.
Retd. Navy Captain, David Marquet, an ex-submarine Captain, as quoted by CNN, said, “They’re freezing cold. The water entirely surrounding the ship is at freezing or slightly below. When they exhale, their breath condenses.
There’s frost on the inside of the parts of the submarine. They’re all huddled together trying to conserve their body heat. They’re running low on oxygen and they’re exhaling carbon dioxide.”
