Missing Titanic sub has 4 hours of oxygen left: Is there hope? All that we know so far as search expands exponentially

The frantic search for the missing Titan submersible, en route to the Titanic wreckage site, escalated to a critical level on Thursday morning. As the countdown of the last few potentially remaining hours of onboard oxygen began, the sense of urgency to locate the miniature vessel heightened. Here's all we know about the missing Titan.

Missing Titan: What we Know So Far

On Sunday, June 18, Ocean Earth started its two-hour dissent to the Titanic wreck, nearly 4000 metres down. However, within 1.45 hours post that it lost communication. It's been 4 days and there have been no sign of the vehicle that was carrying 5 passengers that include a British adventurer, a Pakistani billionaire father and son, a Titanic expert and the CEO of OceanGate, the Washington state-based company that operates the vehicle.

Since Monday US and Canadian ships and planes are swarming the area, some dropping sonar buoys that can monitor to a depth of almost 4,000 metres. On Tuesday and Wednesday a Canadian aircraft detected underwater noises in the search, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Officials said they don’t know what made the sounds, and a robotic vessel scouring the area so far has “yielded negative results.”

“The equipment that is onsite and coming is the most sophisticated in the world and certainly capable of reaching those depths,” said Sean Leet, chief executive of Canadian company Horizon Maritime.

The search has grown "exponentially" across a surface area roughly two times the size of Connecticut and 2.5 miles deep, said Capt. Jamie Frederick, the First Coast Guard District response coordinator, in a news conference

Also Read: Bone-chilling scene from James Cameron's ‘Titanic’ resurfaces amid search for missing submersible

Missing Titan: Underwater Challenge for rescuers

The rescuers are battling grave challenges as they circle around the area that has underwater mountains and valleys along with deep-sea water pressure and bad weather conditions. The search is expected to be twice the size of Connecticut – in waters 2 1/2 miles (4 kilometers) deep – with few clues about the Titan’s location.

"There is an enormous complexity associated with this case, due to the location being so far offshore and the coordination between multiple agencies and nations," response coordinator Frederick added.

“I’ve seen large vessels hiding within extreme geology so searching for smaller objects requires more detailed scrutiny as opposed to searching for a sunken (cruiser) or aircraft carrier,” wrote Robert Kraft, a deep-sea explorer who was part of the 2019 expedition, in an email to The Associated Press from aboard his latest voyage.

Missing Titan: Time running out

Frederick has revealed that the vessel's stock of supplies is worryingly low, sparking concerns among experts that the oxygen supply onboard may be depleted within a day.

"The glimmer of hope is never extinguished in the midst of a search and rescue mission," Frederick commented.

Missing Titan: Inside the 22-foot vessel

The 22 foot and 23000 pound submersible is made of lightweight carbon fiber, which is spun into a rigid tube for the vessel's body. With a nine feet wide and 8 feet tall structure Titan leaves little room for its passengers. They have to sit on a subfloor inside the carbon-fiber tube.

There is only one toilet, and no seats; passengers sit cross legged on the floor. There are no windows except the porthole through which passengers view the Titanic.

Also Read: ‘Within 5-10 minutes you're in pitch dark’: Former passengers recall unsettling experiences aboard Titan submersible

Missing Titan: Simple video game controller used steer vessel

The Titan is being steered by a simple, off-the-shelf video game controller – to the shock of gamers worldwide. It’s not the only commercially available equipment onboard the submersible, according to OceanGate Expeditions’ website.

“The use (of) off-the-shelf components helped to streamline the construction, and makes it simple to operate and replace parts in the field,” the company said on its website.

Also Read: Meet the man who opted out of missing Titanic sub due to security concerns

Missing Titan: Is there hope?

According to experts, the optimal outcome is discovering the Titan floating on the ocean's surface. The vessel is fitted with safety mechanisms designed to propel it to the surface in an emergency, even if its occupants are unconscious.

However, if the Titan is trapped on the ocean bed, the situation could be dire. The crew would eventually deplete their oxygen supply and risk hypothermia due to the extreme cold. Additionally, the vessel could be ensnared in a fishing net or other underwater obstacles. In such scenarios, the best rescue approach might involve deploying a remotely operated robot connected to a fiber optic cable, suggests Jeff Karson, an emeritus professor of earth and environmental sciences at Syracuse University.

Considering its 96-hour oxygen supply limit, the Titan's oxygen could potentially be exhausted by Thursday morning.

(With Agency Inputs)