The tricky search for the missing submarine “Titan” near the famous “Titanic” wreck is an increasingly difficult race against time. Emergency services warn that there are only about 40 hours left. Experts fear the worst.
There are fears all over the world for the fate of the five occupants of the submarine with whom contact was lost on Sunday. On board are French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, nicknamed “Mr Titanic” as an expert, British adventurer Hamish Harding and British-Pakistani business consultant Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman. The identity of the fifth passenger was initially not confirmed.
“Based on this initial report, we know there are about 40 hours of breathing air left,” said U.S. Coast Guard coordinator for operation Jamie Frederick in Boston Tuesday. This is an estimate based on information provided by the operator. However, so far there is no trace of the boat.
Very complex undertaking
A team made up of the Coast Guard, members of the US National Guard and the Canadian Forces are working “around the clock” to accomplish this highly complex search, Frederick said. The aim is to bring together all available resources and expertise as quickly as possible. The location is difficult. At these depths, the GPS signal no longer works. Instead, an acoustic system called Ultra Short Baseline helps the “Titan” exchange information with the mothership. Once on board, the pilot uses these instructions to steer with an amplified video game controller.
Toilet with curtain
The conditions under which the five travelers are currently fighting for their lives, if alive, are anything but welcome. The adventure costs a fortune. You have to sit on the floor. The dimensions do not allow room for movement, the BBC reported on Tuesday.
“It’s getting hot, it’s getting tight,” oceanologist Simon Boxall of the University of Southampton told the BBC of the situation on board. “There is no rescue pod.” At this depth there is tremendous pressure and it is impossible to get out. “So they are completely dependent on finding the submarine.” Boxall emphasizes: “It’s a huge challenge that we’ve never had to overcome before.” The time for a rescue is very short.
Special is a toilet in the front part. If you have to, draw a curtain – and the pilot will turn up the music. However, the company recommends “restricting diet before and during the dive to reduce the likelihood of having to use the facilities.”
experts pessimistic
The vehicle has been missing since Sunday morning (local time) – contact with the escort boat “Polar Prince” was lost approximately one hour and 45 minutes after the start of the dive. According to the provider Oceangate Expeditions, the nearly seven meter small “Titan” has enough oxygen for 96 hours. But experts were pessimistic about the chances of finding the vehicle in time.
A rescue cannot be undertaken until the boat has been located. The wreck of the Titanic, broken in two, lies at a depth of about 3800 meters. Conditions are extremely difficult at the location about 684 kilometers south of the Canadian island of Newfoundland. It’s pitch dark and the water pressure is great.
Source: Krone
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