The world holds its breath and waits for further word on the search for the Titan submersible, which went missing on Sunday whilst attempting to explore the wreck of the Titanic.
As per reports, the oxygen supply available to the crew is set to run out today (June 22), though every effort is being made to find the vessel before it’s too late.
Aircrafts are performing searches from above, while underwater vehicles are scouring below the surface of the water, though the search area is enormous – some estimate twice the size of Connecticut – and no word has been heard from the submersible since it lost contact just one hour and forty-five minutes into its dive.
Yet there may be some sliver of hope in the fact that one crew partaking in the rescue effort has heard banging every 30 minutes in the area where the submersible vanished.
A Department of Homeland Security email published by Rolling Stone stated: “RCC Halifax launched a P8, Poseidon, which has underwater detection capabilities from the air.
“The P8 deployed sonobuoys, which reported a contact in a position close to the distress position. The P8 heard banging sounds in the area every 30 minutes. Four hours later additional sonar was deployed, and banging was still heard.”
Now, we must stress that it remains unclear is the banging is from the five members of the crew trapped in Titan or not. Yet a second email from CNN appeared to further stoke the fire of optimism.
“Additional acoustic feedback was heard and will assist in vectoring surface assets and also indicating continued hope of survivors,” the email read.
The U.S. Coast Guard has projected that the submersible’s oxygen supply will run out at 6:08 a.m. (7:08 a.m. ET) Thursday. It’s also estimated that the return trip to the surface could take as long as eight hours, meaning every passing minute is vital with regards to beating the odds.
The submersible’s passengers have been identified as Hamish Harding, Stockton Rush, Paul-Henry Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood and his son Sulaiman.
OceanGate, the company that took the tourists to visit the wreck of the Titanic, said in a statement: “Our entire focus is on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with the five souls trapped onboard the Titan. Join us praying for a miracle.
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