Missing Titanic submersible summary news | 20 June
Headlines | Wednesday 21 June 2023
- OceanGate's Titan submersible went missing shortly after its departure on Sunday, 18 June.
- The search for OceanGate's Titan continues with support from US and Canadian authorities
- The cost of the Titanic expedition
- What you need to know about the sinking of the Titanic
Read more from AS USA:
Aircraft heard sounds from the area where sub disappeared
A report by Rolling Stone says that an aircraft heard sounds at 30-minute intervals from the area where the sub disappeared, per internal e-mails sent to DHS leadership obtained by the magazine.
“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,” according to the DHS emails.
More help on the way for search for missing submersible
More vessels are on their way to assist in search operations for the missing submersible, the Titan.
Focus has been mostly surface sweeps, but more resources will now be given to underwater searches, including an exploration robot from France.
The Titan's uncertified specs
Reports have been coming out that the missing submersible, the Titan, did not pass safety regulations. According to a story by The New Republic, the vessel was far from being certified for the pressure that it would withstand at the depths it intended to reach.
Last year, the Titan, the submarine which has now been missing since Sunday, went on a similar expedition to see the remains of shipwrecked Titanic. CBS correspondent David Pogue accompanied the crew at that time, along with New York-based writer Mike Reiss. That time, the Titan also went missing, though only for a few hours.
In a CBS story, Pogue spoke about the deep sea vessel, operated by a company called OceanGate Expeditions, and said there were some parts that seemed “improvised”, including the fact that it was controlled by a reinforced Playstation controller.
Titan's seating configuration
According to this diagram, only one person among five can stretch their legs out while inside the Titan submersible vessel. There are highly claustrophobic conditions in the 22-foot-long submarine which has no seats and a toilet that only has a curtain for privacy.
Five people were on board the Titan submersible that has been missing since Sunday as it went on an expedition to visit the Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean.
The company OceanGate Expeditions confirmed through an official statement that the people on board the Titan submarine are Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Stockton Rush.
This report tells us more on what is known about the missing vessel's passengers.
The technology behind the submarine
In a CBS story, Pogue spoke about the deep sea vessel, operated by a company called OceanGate Expeditions, and said there were some parts that seemed “improvised”, including the fact that it was controlled by a reinforced Playstation controller.
In part of the paperwork that he signed, the document read, “This experimental vessel has not been approved or certified by any regulatory body, and could result in physical injury, emotional trauma, or death.”
Reiss emphasized that the paperwork is very clear, so although it may seem from the surface that there were oversights in the construction, every person who chose to get on board was aware of the potential dangers.
40 hours of oxygen left
Capt Jamie Frederick from the First Coast Guard District has had a press conference.
He says there is about 40 hours of breathable air left on the sub, based on the initial reports of 96 hours left.
One of the people who was inside this ship is the businessman, aviator and explorer Hamish Harding. The Briton, who has broken several records in several of his adventures, was part of the expedition that has been observing one of the most famous ships of all time.
The wreckage of the Titanic, which sunk to the bottom of the northern Atlantic in 1915, is located 12,500 feet below sea level. Traveling to these depths is a dangerous task and was not successfully attempted until 1985.
A voyage to the site of the ship led by OceanGate Expeditions that departed on Sunday, 18 June, has gone missing, just one example of the dangers posed by attempting to venture into these unprecedented depths.
Read more on the cost of the expedition and what authorities have reported so far.
Focus on finding the Titan comes after hundreds of migrants drowned in the Mediterranean this month
While the terror of those trapped underwater is unimaginable, some have called attention to the difference in media coverage of the Titan crisis versus the deaths of hundreds of migrants who perished in the Mediterranean fleeing war and violence.
Earlier this month, a boat carrying around 750 migrants sunk off the coast of Greece, with only one hundred of those who were on the vessel accounted for. This tragic incident is one of the most deadliest and is strong sign of failed policies to protect those seeking refuge.
OceanGate has passengers sign extensive waivers
Philip Lewis, a senior editor at the Huffington Post, tweeted a video of a man who had joined the Titanic expedition hosted by OceanGate last year who said that the company mentions the possibility of death various times on waivers that passengers are asked to sign.
"They mention death three times on page one, so its never far from your mind," reported Mike Reiss, who took the trip 12,500 below last year.
The latest from OceanGate Expeditions
An update was released yesterday by the company responsible for the trip, consisting of a brief list of bullet points. However, the update lacked specific details and only conveyed the company's dedication to locating the missing vessel and rescuing the passengers with the assistance of US and Canadian authorities. Another statement may be released by OceanGate within the next few hours, potentially at the same time as the previous update.
The submarine that disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean while descending to the wreckage of the RMS Titanic still remains unaccounted for after the vessel lost communication with the mainland shortly after departing on Sunday.
The worry is becoming a constant factor as the time to locate the missing individuals dwindles. It’s crucial to have specific details, such as the time when the submarine’s signal was lost and the remaining oxygen levels of the Titan.
Hello and welcome to AS USA's live feed covering the ongoing case of the missing submersible that was headed to view the wreckage of the Titanic. The Titan, the name of the vessel in question, lost communication with the mainland less than two hours after departing on Sunday, 20 June.
The company running the trip, OceanGate Expeditions, has provided periodic updates on the status of the search and rescue mission and yesterday reported that they are collaborating with US and Canadian officials.
Onboard the Titan is British billionaire Hamish Harding and members of his family, which has prompted officials in the United Kingdom to also offer support to their allies across the pond.