It was a tough day Tuesday as U.S. and Canadian rescue workers tried to find a missing submersible named Titan with five people aboard. The vessel had been on its way to the wreck of the Titanic when it disappeared Sunday in the North Atlantic.
David Concannon, a consultant with OceanGate Expeditions – the company responsible for the deep-sea research vessel – reported that the Titan, which is made of carbon fiber, had a four-day supply of oxygen when it began its journey around 6 a.m. Sunday. The missing titanic submarine has only 32 hours of breathable air left in the cabin
Who were on board when the Titan Submarine went missing?
The Titan’s crew included a pilot, a well-known British adventurer, two representatives of a respected Pakistani business dynasty and a Titanic specialist. The ship was reported missing late Sunday evening about 435 miles south of St. John’s, Newfoundland, according to the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Canada.
According to reports, the Canadian research icebreaker Polar Prince, which accompanied Titanic on her voyage, lost contact with the ship about an hour and 45 minutes after she sank.
Read about OceanGate Inc- the company behing the submarine
Rear Admiral John Mauger of the U.S. Coast Guard described search efforts as difficult because of the remote location. He asserted that the submersible had up to 96 hours of emergency supplies, including oxygen and fuel.
Alistair Greig, professor of marine engineering at College College London, pointed to possible complications the missing submersible could face, such as a power failure or a pressurized hull leak.
The U.S. Coast Guard in Boston is leading an extensive search operation, using technology such as sonar and aircraft to search both underwater and on the surface. The location of the operation, about 900 miles east of Cape Cod and at depths of up to 13,000 feet, presents a major logistical challenge.
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When did the Titanic submarine disappear?
The Titanic set out on its voyage Sunday morning and lost contact shortly thereafter. The area where the submarine disappeared is known as the site where the Titanic met its tragic end in 1912.
Where is the wreck of the Titanic?
The wreck of the Titanic, the actual destination of the Titanic, is located approximately 2.4 miles below the surface. OceanGate Expeditions has been conducting annual trips to this site since 2021.
How many people were on the Titanic submarine?
Titanic’s crew consisted of a pilot and four paying passengers called “mission specialists.” These individuals, who had paid up to $250,000 for the expedition, took turns operating the sonar equipment and performing other duties aboard the ship.
Among the mission specialists aboard Titan was Hamish Harding, a British entrepreneur who lives in Dubai and is known for his adventurous ventures and several world records. Also on board were Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, prominent figures in Pakistan’s business community.
What is a submarine or a Titanic submarine that was involved?
A submersible is a type of vehicle that is typically small and designed for underwater exploration and work. Unlike submarines, which are larger, fully autonomous, and designed primarily for extended underwater travel, submersibles are often smaller and rely on an auxiliary vessel or platform for their operation. They are not designed for long distances, but are engineered by experts to withstand extreme underwater pressure.
Design and operation:
Submersibles come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but they all share common features that ensure their functionality underwater. These include a robust pressurized hull to withstand the enormous forces at depth, thrusters for locomotion, ballast tanks to control buoyancy, and usually a system of lights and cameras that allow researchers to document their findings. They are also equipped with communication systems that maintain the link with the surface.
Piloted submersibles, such as the Alvin operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, usually have strong acrylic viewing windows through which the pilot can directly see his surroundings. Other submersibles, often called remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), are operated from the surface and rely solely on cameras and other sensors to navigate and explore the underwater world.
Applications:
Submersibles play a crucial role in various areas such as scientific research, underwater archaeology, oceanography, biology, and geology. They enable scientists to study marine life, underwater geological formations, and historical shipwrecks at great depths that divers cannot safely reach. Submersibles have been instrumental in the discovery of deep-sea ecosystems around hydrothermal vents, the exploration of the Titanic wreck, and the study of the geological processes at the bottom of the ocean.
In the oil and gas industry, remotely operated submersibles or ROVs are used for pipeline inspection, construction, drilling support, and even repair tasks at extreme depths. In the military sector, they’re used for mine detection and disposal, surveillance, and salvage operations.
Submersibles also play a role in tourism, offering deep-sea diving experiences to adventure-seeking tourists, and in filmmaking, capturing stunning underwater footage for documentaries and movies.
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FAQ’s
Q1: What is the name of the missing submersible?
A: The missing submersible is named “Titan.”
Q2: Who owns the Titan?
A: The Titan is owned by OceanGate Expeditions, a deep-sea exploration company.
Q3: How many people were on board the Titan when it disappeared?
A: There were five individuals on board the Titan when it went missing – a pilot, a renowned British adventurer, two representatives from a well-known Pakistani business family, and a Titanic expert.
Q4: When did the Titan go missing?
A: The Titan was reported missing on Sunday evening, two days after it set out for the Titanic wreckage site in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Q5: Where is the Titan’s last known location?
A: The last known location of the Titan was about 435 miles south of St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Q6: What was the intended destination of the Titan?
A: The Titan was heading to the wreckage site of the Titanic, which lies about 2.4 miles below the ocean’s surface.
Q7: What kind of equipment does the Titan have for emergencies?
A: According to Rear Admiral John Mauger of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Titan is equipped with up to 96 hours of emergency supplies, including oxygen and fuel.
Q8: Who is conducting the search for the Titan?
A: The U.S. Coast Guard in Boston is leading the search operation, with support from Canadian authorities.
Q9: How deep is the search area?
A: The search area is up to 13,000 feet deep in the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately 900 miles east of Cape Cod.
Q10: Are there any challenges in the search operation?
A: Yes, the remote location and extreme depth of the search area, as well as the need to search both on the surface and underwater, present significant challenges.
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