After a sorrowful search, it is confirmed that the time to rescue the submarine, which had gone missing in the depths of the ocean near the resting place of the Titanic, has come to an end. With the consumption of the entire oxygen supply inside the vessel, all hopes of finding the crew members of this submergible vehicle alive have completely faded away. This tragic episode raises questions about the challenges and dangers associated with underwater exploration and underscores the importance of safety in such missions.
What was known about the submarine, the people, and the company?
The submarine carrying five wealthy individuals had been missing for over three days. So far, we know that the company behind the submarine is OceanGate Expeditions, who refer to themselves as “the only company with a submersible capable of reaching the ocean floor and thus seeing the remains of the Titanic.” On their website, the same company offers trips of over five days to visit the remains of the Titanic at a price of USD $250,000.
However, it appears that all of this was mere talk, as communication with the submarine named “Titan” was lost on Sunday, June 18, just two hours after it began its descent towards the Titanic wreckage, which lies nearly 4,000 meters deep and 600 kilometers off the coast of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic.
Five individuals were aboard the submarine: Pakistani businessman “Shahzada Dawood,” his son “Suleman Dawood,” British explorer “Hamish Harding,” French explorer “Paul-Henry Nargeolet,” and OceanGate’s captain, Stockton Rush.
How many hours did they have to return to the surface?
The submarine had enough oxygen inside to keep the five crew members alive for 96 hours, or 4 days. However, as time passed, this number became a cause for concern as it neared its end. At the you are reading this, that the oxygen supply has run out and all efforts of saving the passengers alive have been unsuccessful.