Titanic tourist sub rescue is ‘race against time’ – why it’s so difficult
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The rescuers hunting for the missing Titanic tourist submersible face an incredibly difficult task.
The OceanGate Explorations sub 'Titan' lost communication with its mothership on Sunday (June 18) with five passengers onboard – thought to be OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, British billionaire explorer Hamish Harding, Prince's Trust board member Shahzada Dawood, his son Sulaiman Dawood, and French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
The US coast guard said the vessel had 96 hours of air left on Monday (June 19) – meaning rescuers have until Thursday (June 22).
READ MORE: Three Brits residents on missing sub trip to cursed Titanic – including father and son
David Gallo – senior adviser for Strategic Initiatives at RMS Titanic Inc, which has exclusive salvage rights to the wreck – described the search as a "race against time".
He told CNN hypothermia would be a danger depending on how deep the sub is "because in the deep ocean it is just above freezing cold".
Titan lost communication with the mothership roughly one hour and 45 minutes into the two-hour descent. The Titanic wreck lies at around 12,500ft.
Luckily, Gallo said Titan shouldn't have drifted very far if it is in deep waters – meaning the mothership should have a good idea as to where it is.
"It means that you can focus on a very tight area and bring your sonars in, cameras in, and whatever you need to do," he said.
This does not mean the process is easy, though.
Eric Fusil, a submarine expert and associate professor at the University of Adelaide, explained that while searches in open air can be rapidly aided by radar, spotlight or laser beams "are absorbed within a few metres" at great depths.
Consequently, he said no radar or GPS is available. Fusil added that Titan would have to rely on basic communications such as acoustic sound sensors or text messages.
Even if rescuers manage to locate the missing vessel, Gallo said there are further challenges.
"It's like a visit to another planet, it's not what people think it is. It is a sunless, cold environment and high pressure," he told CNN.
Human divers wearing specialised equipment can only reach depths of a few hundred metres underwater.
The Deccan Herald reports that the only likely rescue would come from an unmanned vehicle.
For deep sea rescues, the US Navy relies on the remote-operated CURV-21. It was used to salvage a F-35 Joint Strike Fighter that crashed in the South China Sea in 2022. That wreck was found at 12,400ft – similar to the depth of the Titanic.
The UK Ministry of Defence said NATO's submarine rescue system (NSRS) may not be able to reach Titan. Remotely operated, it can only reach depths of around 3,800ft.
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