Submarine lost en route to ‘Titanic’ crash – ‘We hope and pray’

DThe Canadian and United States Coast Guards are continuing their intensive search for the missing mini-submarine “Titan,” which began diving toward the wreck of the Titanic on Sunday morning. But, so far there is no trace. “Today, those search efforts have been unsuccessful,” a U.S. Coast Guard spokeswoman said Tuesday in Boston.

There are five people in the submarine. The search was a race against time – the submarine had about four days of oxygen when it left, it said. “Based on this initial report, we know there’s about 40 hours of breathable air left,” U.S. Coast Guard Operations Coordinator Jamie Frederick said Tuesday night.

The Boston Coast Guard, which is leading the search, tweeted that a five-person crew “dived Sunday morning and lost contact with the crew of the Polar Prince one hour and 45 minutes into their dive.” At this time, the submarine was approximately 900 miles (1450 km) off the coast of Cape Cod.

The US Coast Guard was notified Sunday afternoon, said John Mager, coordinator of the operation. She sent two C-130 planes to search the ocean surface. The Canadian Coast Guard deployed an aircraft and a vessel equipped with buoyant sonar technology. An underwater search has been intensified in hopes of finding the submarine, Mauger told CNN.

“Searching this remote area is challenging, but we’re sending everything to make sure we can find the boat and save the people on board,” Mauger told reporters Monday in Boston, Massachusetts. As darkness fell Monday evening, search flights were suspended while the U.S. National Guard unit and Titan operator Oceangate Expeditions continued to search the water.

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Meanwhile, France sent a special vessel including a diving robot to the area. France’s Marine Secretary Hervé Perville said the research vessel “Atalante” of Ifremar, an already operational marine research company, will arrive at the base on Wednesday evening. The “Victor 6000” robot is remotely controlled by a research vessel via an eight-kilometer-long cable and is described by Ifremer as a “primary device for underwater operations,” BFMTV reported. This robot can be used at a depth of 6000 meters.

What do you know about the missing five?

The sub was carrying five passengers, including 58-year-old British billionaire pilot and space tourist Hamish Harding. On Sunday, he shared on his Instagram that he is “finally proud to announce” that he will be joining the Titanic wrecking crew. “A weather window has opened and we will try to dive,” he wrote.

Harding is the chairman of Action Aviation Aircraft Company in Dubai. According to English media reports, he is a trained pilot, diver and parachutist.

Mark Butler, chief executive of Harding’s Action Aviation, said the group parted ways on Friday. “We all hope and pray that he makes a safe return.” Harding’s son Brian Chass confirmed his father’s passing on social media. The post has since been deleted on Facebook.

Pakistani businessman Shahjata Dawood and his 19-year-old son were also aboard the missing Titanic submarine, it was announced on Tuesday. “Our son Shahjata Dawood and his son Sulaiman went on a journey to investigate. The remains of the Titanic to the Atlantic Ocean,” British media reported, citing a statement from the family.

Shahjata Dawood lives in England and is the vice-chairman of Karachi-based Engro. He is also involved in his family’s foundation established in 1960 and dedicated to education. loud “Daily MailThe 48-year-old is one of Pakistan’s richest men.

According to British media, French Titanic expert Paul Henri Narcolet should also be on board. He is said to have made numerous dives on the “Titanic” wreck and once served in the French Navy. A spokesperson for the family confirmed this to the BBC on Tuesday. “Mr Titanic”, he is a former Navy diver and was part of the first expedition to study the famous wreck in 1987. It is said that he spent more time there than anyone else. Although the outcome of the rescue operation does not depend on him, the spokesman believes Narjolet’s calmness and his military career will reassure the crew.

This coincides with Harding’s statement on Instagram: “The submarine’s crew includes renowned explorers, some of whom have made more than 30 dives on the ‘Titanic’ since the 1980s.” The identity of the fifth passenger has again not been officially confirmed. According to the Daily Mail, this is said to be the CEO of Oceangate Expeditions – Stockton Rush.

OceanGate Expeditions said Monday it would do everything it could to “bring the five crew members to safety.” The Company is deeply grateful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep-sea agencies in our efforts to re-establish contact with the submarine.

What would have happened to the submarine?

The BBC has it Talked to a submarine expert, who showed various scenarios for the location of the submarine. So after the emergency, a “drop weight” was dropped to bring the boat to the surface, explained Professor Alistair Craig of University College London.

Craig continued, “If there had been a power outage and/or communication failure, it could have happened and the submersible would have been floating on the surface, waiting to be found.” There is a leak or the boat is jammed. Then the prognosis is “not good.” Former submarine officer Frank Owen told the BBC that the biggest challenge for those trapped was staying calm and not using up too much oxygen.

Unless the submarine sinks back under the sea and can’t resurface under its own power, options are severely limited, says Craig. “The sub may still be intact, but if it’s deeper than 200 meters, there are very few ships that can go that deep, let alone divers. Vehicles designed to rescue naval submarines can’t go anywhere near the depth of the Titanic,” he said.

“It’ll be hot, it’ll be tight”

According to an expert, the conditions for drowning are extremely difficult. “It’s going to be warm and it’s going to be cramped,” oceanographer Simon Boxall of the University of Southampton told the BBC. “No recovery capsule.” At this depth, there is enormous pressure, and there is no escape. “So they’re completely dependent on the submersion they’re found in.” Boxall emphasized: “This is an enormous challenge that we have never had to overcome before.” The recovery time is very short.

Maritime surveyor David Mearns said a commercial pipeline vessel had arrived in the area. The vessel is highly capable and is believed to have the ability to reach the required depth to search for submersibles.

David Bock, a correspondent for the US broadcaster CBS who took part in the journey last year, told the BBC that the vehicle had an uplifting effect on him. “You control this submarine with an Xbox game controller,” Bogue said. Part of the stabilization consists of construction pipes.

Warm walls and a toilet – the interior of the “Titan”.

The “Titan” was built specifically for tourists, but it was not really comfortable. Passengers must sit on the floor. As the BBC reported on Tuesday, the dimensions leave no room for movement.

The curved porthole at the front is designed to provide a view of the “Titanic” ship. According to the BBC, the company touts “the biggest vantage point of all manned deep-sea submarines”. Powerful searchlights outside illuminate the wreck, breaking through the dark water at a depth of about 3,800 meters. It is very cold in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. So the walls get hot.

A special feature: there is a toilet in the front area. If you need to pull a curtain – the pilot turns up the music. However, the agency recommends that you “restrict meals before and after the dive to minimize the likelihood that you will need to use the facilities.”

Attraction “Titanic” – for 229,000 euros

OceanGate Expeditions will begin organizing annual cruises to the wreck of the Titanic in 2021. The first group of tourists – the so-called mission specialists – were financed from 100,000 to 150,000 dollars per person. A passenger seat on the submarine currently costs $250,000 (about 229,000 euros), according to the company’s website.

Considered unsinkable, the Titanic left the port of Southampton, England on April 10, 1912 for her maiden voyage to New York. Five days later, the world’s largest cruise ship hit an iceberg and sank. Of the 2,224 people on board, 1,500 died.

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The wreck of the British giant ship, broken in two, was discovered in 1985 only 650 kilometers off the coast of Canada. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean at a depth of about 4000 meters in international waters.