Slim chance for missing Titan submersible

US Coast Guard (USCG) representative Jamie Frederick said on June 21 that rescue forces are scouring an area "twice the size of Connecticut", a US state with an area of ​​more than 13,000 ^km2 .

Mr. Frederick said the US Coast Guard recorded more noises in the search area, although experts do not know what the noises were. Mr. Frederick said it was unclear whether the noises coming from the seabed were from the Titan submersible.

US Coast Guard officials also said remotely operated vehicle (ROV) searches were underway in the area where the P-3 aircraft recorded the noise.

According to Mr. Frederick, although the detected sounds provide an opportunity to narrow down the search area, the exact location and origin are still unknown. Currently, naval experts are analyzing the data to determine.

The US Coast Guard said more noises were heard in the search area, although experts do not know what the detected noises were. Photo: AP

Despite his optimism, Frederick told the AP that authorities were still hopeful of rescuing the five passengers on board the Titan. "This is a search and rescue mission, 100 percent," Frederick stressed.

But even optimists warn that many hurdles remain: from pinpointing the ship’s location, to reaching it with rescue equipment, to bringing the sub to the surface if it’s intact. And all of that must be done before oxygen supplies run out.

According to OceanGate's technical specifications, the five passengers on the missing Titan submarine had 96 hours of air. This means oxygen could run out by the morning of June 22 (local time), but experts say the air supply depends on many factors.

Submersibles take tourists to the Titanic wreck. Photo: OceanGate Expeditions

AP quoted oceanographer Donald Murphy as saying that the North Atlantic area where the Titan went missing has a lot of fog and storms, making it an extremely difficult environment for search and rescue missions.

Jeff Karson, professor emeritus of earth and environmental sciences at Syracuse University, said Titan’s passengers would likely endure extreme conditions, including temperatures well above freezing. Because the temperature and depth of the submersible are too high for divers to reach, Karson thought the best chance of getting close to the submersible might be with a remotely operated robot.

Key to the search are remote-controlled robots equipped with cameras, designed to scan the seabed in real time at depths that other ships cannot reach.

A special Navy salvage vehicle that can be used to pull the Titan to the surface has arrived in St. John's, Canada, but it is expected to take another 24 hours to prepare it for use, a US Navy official said at a press conference on June 21.

The US Navy said the device is capable of lifting "large, bulky and heavy objects from the seabed such as aircraft or small boats".

The Titan weighs nearly 1 ton. The deep-sea salvage vehicle Flyaway is designed to lift objects weighing up to about 27 tons.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thoi-su-quoc-te/co-hoi-mong-manh-cho-tau-lan-titan-mat-tich-20230622092302937.htm