According to CNN, some experts said that the oxygen level on the missing Titan submersible with five people on board is becoming a matter of life and death as advanced equipment has been rushed to the North Atlantic in a large-scale search operation. Loud thumping sounds from the water were detected on June 20 and 21 in the search area, raising hopes that there are survivors.

Rescuers are facing a number of challenges in their search for the Titan. “It’s pitch black and very cold at depth. The seabed is muddy and the terrain is rough,” Tim Maltin, an expert on the sinking of the Titanic and other maritime accidents, told Reuters. In addition to the difficult terrain, factors such as water pressure and currents could have a major impact on the search.

Titan submersible. Photo: OceanGate

The Titan submersible is owned by OceanGate, a private US company that provides ocean exploration tours. Nearly two hours after starting its journey on the morning of June 18, the Titan submersible lost contact with its mother ship Polar Prince. The US Coast Guard said that remote-controlled deep-sea vehicles from Canada, the UK and France have been deployed to the scene, scouring a large area of ​​the North Atlantic to search for the ship. According to OceanGate Advisor David Concannon, the ship has enough oxygen supply for 96 hours, starting at around 6am on June 18 (local time). In theory, this amount of oxygen should be enough to last until the morning of June 22. However, this time also depends on the breathing rate of those inside the ship, especially if passengers on board have little diving experience and will gasp for breath due to panic.

In 2020, OceanGate announced a tour of the Titanic wreck for about $250,000 per person. The submersible typically carries five people, including a pilot, three passengers, and what the company describes as a “content expert.” Before each Titan tour, passengers are briefed on potential risks. Mike Reiss, who took the tour last year, said he had to sign a waiver that he would be held responsible if he died.

According to OceanGate, the Titan is made of titanium and carbon fiber, is 6.7m long, weighs 10,432kg, equivalent to about 6 medium-sized cars and is capable of diving to a depth of 4,000m. The ship uses 4 electric propulsion engines to move and is equipped with a camera, lights and scanners to explore the surrounding environment. Because Titan is not equipped with seats, passengers have to sit cross-legged on the floor, monitoring everything around them through digital screens connected to cameras outside. Inside the submarine, there is a rudimentary control system, food and water will be limited. According to The Guardian, OceanGate said that the Titan submersible is specially built, only about half the weight of other types of submersibles or underwater research vessels to easily access and observe the Titanic wreck.

Experts have offered a variety of theories about why Titan went missing, from getting tangled in debris from the Titanic to losing power to problems with its communications systems. But the incident has also raised questions about the Titan's design and safety features. In an interview with CNN, Doug Virnig, who worked on OceanGate's Titan submersible for about a year, said some of the materials and design choices were considered "controversial" when the sub was built in 2018.

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