A rescue crew searching for the missing Titanic submersible heard banging sounds in the area where the craft disappeared as the clock continues to tick on just how much longer those inside can stay alive in the harrowing conditions.
A rescue operation by a Canadian aircraft with underwater detection capabilities detected “banging” in 30-minute intervals coming from the area the divers disappeared, emails sent to Department of Homeland Security leadership revealed. Additional sonar was deployed, and banging was still heard four hours later, Rolling Stone reported.
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Several agencies, including the Boston Coast Guard, Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, the DHS, and the U.S. Coast Guard, did not verify the reports that a banging or tapping sound was heard, a fact that would likely confirm that the five members of the craft, named the Titan, were still alive.
Yet, on Monday, G. Michael Harris, a Titanic expedition leader, said that his team believes the vessel imploded at around 3,200 meters deep and that there is little to nothing that can be done to save those inside the craft.
OceanGate, the maker of the submersible, has been ridiculed for its safety features, including the fact that it was operated by an outdated video game controller. It was also revealed in court documents that a former employee of the company in 2018 was fired after he raised concerns regarding the safety of the vessel.
David Lochridge alleged he had raised concerns about the safety of the Titan with OceanGate and advised the company to conduct more testing of the vessel’s hull, according to CBS News. The company sued him, and Lochridge said he was wrongfully terminated, claiming his actions were meant to ensure the safety of passengers on the craft.
As difficult rescue efforts continue, the Coast Guard announced on Tuesday that the Titan had about 40 hours of oxygen left. A little over nine hours later, that number now stands at about 30.
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The remains of the Titanic are located in the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 370 miles south of Newfoundland, Canada, and the shipwreck is about 2.4 miles underneath the surface of the water. The submersible left for its expedition on Sunday morning, but it lost contact with a Canadian research vessel roughly one hour and 45 minutes after the dive began.
The five people on board the craft include Hamish Harding (the chairman of Action Aviation), Shahzada Dawood (the vice chairman of Engro Corporation Limited) and his son Suleman Dawood, Paul-Henri Nargeolet (a diver and Titanic researcher, as well as the director of Underwater Research at RMS Titanic Inc.), and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, according to ABC News.
