Inspenet, June 22, 2023
Time is running out and the search team for the submarine that disappeared during an expedition to see the wreckage of the Titanic continues to focus its efforts on the target. However, the estimated period of 96 hours for the duration of the oxygen in the boat would come to an end this morning; fact that has intensified the task to rescue the five people on board, including the director of the company organizing the trip.
According to the US Coast Guard and members of OceanGate Expeditions, the deadline for the rescue was from 6:00 am to 8:00 am Thursday. However, the experts stressed that this calculation was not accurate and that the time could be prolonged if the passengers had taken measures to conserve oxygen.
There’s still time? Hopeful noises in the depths of the ocean
Rescue teams sent more boats to the disappearance zone and the US Coast Guard reported that an underwater robot sent by a Canadian ship had reached the seabed and began searching for the Titan. The authorities had hopes that the sounds detected at the bottom of the sea could narrow the search area, which exceeded 4,000 meters deep.
It is important to remember that a number of devices and equipment are in use for this search; including remote-controlled vehicles (ROVs), which are equipped with cameras, sonars, and manipulators; submersibles and magnetometers.
The disappearance of the Titan was reported on Sunday afternoon when it was heading to the place where the unforgettable sunken cruise ship rests more than a century ago. Since 2021, OceanGate Expeditions has been documenting the deterioration of the wreck and the emergence of the underwater ecosystem at the site through annual trips.
The challenges imposed by the underwater search
Experts say that if the submarine is at the bottom of the ocean, it would be nearly impossible to salvage. The wreck of the Titanic is about 4 kilometers below the surface and the submersible lost contact more than halfway down its descent.
“It’s completely dark down there. It is very cold. The bottom of the sea is made of mud and is wavy. You can’t see your hand in front of your face,” said Tim Maltin, an expert on the sinking and wreckage of the Titanic.
The specialists also affirm that an underwater rescue from the bottom of the sea is unlikely, since there is only a small group of submersible vessels that could reach the depths. Even if they could reach it, there would be no chance of towing it to the surface.
In addition to that, experts explain that if the Titan sways on the surface of the ocean, finding it would be like finding a needle in a haystack, since it only measures 6.7 meters long and 2.8 meters wide, which makes it makes it even more difficult to detect.
Source: https://www.elnuevoherald.com/noticias/estados-unidos/article276640656.html
Photo: https://www.hola.com/actualidad/20230620234217/asi-es-el-submarino-desaparecido-restos-titanic/
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