The US Coast Guard estimates that the oxygen on board the missing Titan submarine is only enough for up to 20 hours. It is difficult to calculate the exact time remaining, Coast Guard Chief John Mauger told the BBC on Wednesday. He pointed out that according to operator Oceangate Expeditions, the “Titan” had enough oxygen on board to supply five people for more than 96 hours. Contact with the vehicle was lost on Sunday morning (US East Coast local time).
“One of the factors that makes it difficult to predict how much oxygen is left is that we don’t know what the oxygen consumption per occupant of the submarine is,” Mauger said. The search team estimates there are about 20 hours left to find and rescue the submarine. That would be Thursday morning (local time).
The search was “complex” and “difficult,” said the rear admiral, referring to the remote location nearly 700 kilometers south of the Canadian island of Newfoundland. It will be searched both on and below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, working closely with experts in acoustic signals.
The US Coast Guard has spoken of a possible failure of the mission given the closing time for the rescue of the five missing persons from the wreck of the “Titanic”. “Sometimes we don’t find what we’re looking for,” Jamie Frederick, U.S. Coast Guard coordinator for the operation, said in Boston Wednesday. Then it sometimes happens “that you have to make a difficult decision. But we’re not there yet,” Frederick said. If that happened, the families of the missing would be notified long before the public.
More knocking noises
During their search for the missing submarine “Titan” since Sunday, emergency services again registered tones and beating sounds, the US Coast Guard announced at a press conference on Wednesday.
According to a concerned American expert, the sounds recorded when searching for the submarine near the famous “Titanic” wreck could have many causes. The sound was described as throbbing, Carl Hartsfield of the Oceanographic Systems Laboratory said at a U.S. Coast Guard press conference on Wednesday. “From my experience with acoustics, I can tell you that there are sounds that are made by biological substances that are made by humans for the untrained ear. But I can assure you that the people who listen to these tapes are trained.” There are also some sounds coming from ships in the search area. Experts would systematically analyze each recording.
The submarine Titan was on its way to the wreckage of the Titanic when contact was lost on Sunday. Near the famous wreck, rescuers race against time to locate a five-person submarine. Recordings described as “knocks” had raised hopes of a sign of life by Wednesday evening.
US Coast Guard strengthens emergency services
The US Coast Guard is ramping up its efforts as the time window for rescuing the five occupants of the missing Titan submarine approaches. Five units are currently deployed to the surface of the water, Jamie Frederick, U.S. Coast Guard coordinator for the operation, said Wednesday in Boston. Five more would be added over the next 24 to 48 hours. The number of remote-controlled underwater vehicles, two of which have been put into service so far, will also be expanded on Thursday morning (local time).
Frederick stressed that it was still a search and rescue operation. “This is a search and rescue operation, 100 percent,” he replied when asked if the Coast Guard considered the operation a rescue or now more of a salvage operation. You will continue to use all available resources to find the “Titan” and her crew. He also thanked the international support, including from Canada, Great Britain and France. (lst/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
