Underwater noises detected by Canadian aircraft, as oxygen levels reduce to around 30 hours of breathable air
OceanGate Expeditions, which operates the Titan, was repeatedly warned that there might be catastrophic safety problems posed by the way it was developed, the Associated Press has reported.
The undersea exploration company, based in Everett, Washington, has been making yearly voyages to the Titanic since 2021.
Underwater noises have been detected by a Canadian aircraft in the search area for the missing submersible, according to the US Coast Guard. Searches yielded negative results but will continue. The data has been shared with the US Navy experts for further analysis, the Coast Guard said.
Search crews have heard banging sounds at 30-minute intervals, according to US media. CNN and Rolling Stone cited internal government memos saying banging had been detected, and reported that after additional devices were deployed four hours later, noises were still heard. The memos did not clarify when on Tuesday the banging was heard, or for how long.
The Explorers Club, of which two passengers in the missing sub are members, says there is “cause for hope” based on field data, asserting that “likely signs of life have been detected at the site”.
The submersible’s hatch appears to be bolted from the outside. So even if the sub has surfaced and is spotted by search operations, the danger is not over, as the crew inside would still need to rely on emergency oxygen to breathe until the hatch is opened by rescue teams.
The Titan crew is estimated to be down to about 30 hours of breathable air. Ten hours ago, Coast Guard officials said the crew of the missing submersible had about 40 hours of breathable air left.
So far, more than 25,900 square kilometres of sea has been searched by aircraft for the missing vessel – part of a unified command of aircraft and ships of the US Coast Guard, US Navy, Canadian Coast Guard and OceanGate Expedition.
