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Noises from search area of missing deep-sea vessel ‘a target for rescuers’

BySpotted UK

Jun 21, 2023
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Rescuers race against clock after noises heard from Titanic vessel search area

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There are now less than 16 hours of oxygen left in the missing Titan submersible as rescue efforts continue for the five passengers.

A Canadian aircraft searching for the sub in the Atlantic Ocean detected intermittent “banging” noises from the vicinity of its last known location, the US Coast Guard said.

Crew searching for the missing sub heard banging sounds every 30 minutes on Tuesday and again four hours later on Wednesday after additional sonar devices were deployed.

However, the US Coast Guard clarified that they “don’t know the source of the noise”.

Aboard the Titan is CEO and founder of OceanGate ExpeditionsStockton Rush, British billionaire explorer Hamish Harding, renowned French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood.

Mr Dawood’s sister, Sabrina Dawood told Sky News that the Dawood family is solely focused on the rescue of her brother and nephew and hope for their safe return.

The watercraft submerged on Sunday morning from its support vessel to travel to the Titanic wreckage which sits at a depth of 12,500ft. About an hour and 45 minutes later, the Titan lost contact with its surface ship, the Polar Prince.

The Titan is equipped with a four-day emergency oxygen supply.

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WATCH: Canadian Air Force deploys 'submarine hunter' aircraft to search for missing Titanic submersible

Canadian Air Force deploys 'submarine hunter' aircraft to search for missing Titanic submersibleAriana Baio21 June 2023 21:301687378511

What it’s like inside the Titan submersible

Five people are inside a submersible, known as the Titan, somewhere in the North Atlantic Ocean.

The sub, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, offers deep-sea missions to tour the Titanic wreckage, starting at $250,000 per person.

In order to view the wreckage, passengers have to board the 22-foot-long submersible.

Inside, the sub is about the size of a mini-van with no seats and only carpeting. It is equipped with one large viewport window for passengers to look out of.

Titan prepares to launch from its submersive platform on a test run

(OceanGate/YouTube)

In an interview with CBS, Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions and one of the people on the missing sub, said: “There’s no switches and things to bump into, we have one button to turn it on.”

Instead, the sub is controlled by a generic video game controller.

Equipped on the sub is a small toilet and what is believed to be some “limited rations.”

Ariana Baio21 June 2023 21:151687377611

Channel 5 to air Titanic Sub: Lost at Sea documentary hours after submarine runs out of oxygen

Channel 5 has changed its schedule on Thursday (22 June) evening to include a new documentary titled Titanic Sub: Lost at Sea.

The live special will, of course, focus on the missing tourist submarine, which was lost on an underwater expedition to view the Titanic shipwreck on Sunday (18 June).

The live special will air at 7pm – just hours after the Titan submersible is due to run out of oxygen – and is presented by former Football Focus host Dan Walker.

Tom Murray reports:

Channel 5 to air Titan documentary hours after submarine runs out of oxygen

Quick turnaround documentary will be presented by Dan Walker

Ariana Baio21 June 2023 21:001687376711

US shoots down UK firm’s offer to help in search for Titanic sub

The US Coastguard has rejected an offer of help from a UK firm which experts say may provide the “best hope” of finding the missing Titanic submarine, as the window of opportunity to rescue the five onboard rapidly closes.

British company Magellan Limited has had a deep-sea submersible craft “ready to support” the rescue mission since early on Monday, with the ability to reach depths of 6,000 metres and prior experience of visiting the Titanic wreckage site.

But the US First Coast Guard District told The Independent it has not requested assistance from the firm as the vessel, currently sat on a plane awaiting US clearance to be deployed, is too far away.

The US First Coast Guard District said after “careful consideration” of the most effective resources available, the unified command – the US Coast Guard, US Navy, Canadian Coast Guard and OceanGate Expeditions – is “not planning on requesting Magellan” because of “how far out that vessel would be from the area needed”. It added the command would “probably not” reverse its decision.

Tara Cobham reports:

US shoots down UK firm’s offer to help in Titanic sub search as experts urge rethink

Urgent calls from explorers to reverse decision as ‘tapping sounds’ detected by sonar in search

Ariana Baio21 June 2023 20:451687375811

Mystery ‘banging’ sounds in missing Titanic sub search area heard for second day

Officials admit that the noises, picked up by a Canadian P3 plane above the search site, are “inconclusive” and are still being analysed by Navy experts.

Graeme Massie reports:

Mystery ‘banging’ sounds in missing Titanic sub search area heard for second day

Noises, described as ‘banging’, picked up by Canadian P3 surveillance plane flying over search area

Ariana Baio21 June 2023 20:301687374011

‘We need to have hope’ Captain Frederick says

Captain Jamie Frederick of the US Coast Guard encouraged people to “have hope” when asked about the possibility that the five men in the missing submersible were alive.

“This is a search and rescue mission 100 per cent,” Captain Frederick said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Captain Frederick encouraged people to not only consider the amount of oxygen the five passengers in the Titan have when assuming how much time is left.

“We need to have hope,” he said.

Ariana Baio21 June 2023 20:001687373111

Sister of missing sub passenger breaks silence

The sister of the billionaire businessman and his son who are aboard the Titan submersible that disappeared on a dive to the Titanic wreck says her family is fully focused on their safe return.

Businessman Shahzada Dawood and 19-year-old Suleman Dawood are still missing along with CEO and founder of OceanGate Expeditions Stockton Rush, British billionaire explorer Hamish Harding and renowned French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

Mr Dawood’s sister, Sabrina Dawood, told Sky News that the Dawood family is solely focused on the rescue of her brother and nephew and hope for their safe return.

Shahzada and Suleman Dawood

(Family handout)

“We are deeply grateful for the efforts of news agencies during this difficult time; your constant coverage of the missing Titan submersible is undoubtedly playing a large role in the world’s ability to access relevant updates on the matter,” she told the British news channel.

“At this time, the Dawood family’s sole focus is the rescue of our beloved Shahzada and Suleman Dawood and we are unable to address any questions or comments at the moment.

Graeme Massie reports:

Sister of Titanic sub passenger missing with teen son breaks silence

The sister of the billionaire businessman and his son who are aboard the Titan submersible that disappeared on a dive to the Titanic wreck says her family is fully focused on their safe return.

Ariana Baio21 June 2023 19:451687372211

WATCH: Coast guard says they don’t know what noises are in search for vessel

Missing titanic submarine: Coast guard ‘don’t know’ what noises are in search

The US Coast Guard has said that they do not know what the "banging" noises heard coming from the area of the last known location of the missing Titanic submarine. A Canadian aircraft searching for the vessel heard sounds using sonar buoys on Tuesday which are now being assessed by experts. The underwater vehicle submerged on Sunday morning (18 June) and its support vessel lost contact with it about an hour and 45 minutes later, authorities said. The result of the “banging” noises heard by the Canadian P-3 was inconclusive but are being analysed further, Captain Jamie Frederick said on Wednesday.

Ariana Baio21 June 2023 19:301687371311

More insight into the “banging” noises

The US Coast Guard offered more insight into the mysterious “banging” noises that crew searching for the missing surmisable heard.

Captain Jamie Frederick of the US Coast Guard said that airplanes that detected the noises on Tuesday also heard them on Wednesday but the results were inconclusive.

Mr Frederick said upon hearing the sounds, ROVs (remote operated vehicles) were re-located to investigate where they were coming from. However, they did not find the missing submersible nor found out where the sounds were coming from.

Experts in the US are analysing the noises to better understand where or what they could have come from.

Carl Hartsfield, director and senior program manager, of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution said that it’s possible an underwater animal could have made the noises.

Ariana Baio21 June 2023 19:151687370411

Crucial ships in missing Titanic sub search won’t arrive until after 16-hour oxygen deadline, Coast Guard says

Rescue ships with crucial deep ocean ROVs (remote operated vehicles) will only arrive on site after the missing Titan submersible crew members run out of oxygen, the US Coast Guard said in a press conference on Wednesday (21 June).

Captain Jamie Frederick, the response coordinator for the First Coast Guard District said that five rescue vessels will arrive in the next 24-48 hours, after the estimated time when the Titan’s oxygen reserves will have been exhausted.

Bevan Hurley reports:

Titanic sub rescue ships won’t arrive until after oxygen deadline: Coast Guard

US Coast Guard says mission to find five crew members on board missing Titan submersible ‘very much’ still a rescue operation

Ariana Baio21 June 2023 19:00

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