Staff Reports
The missing submersible carrying a crew of five that was on its way to the Titanic wreckage site has run out of air. The US Coast Guard has predicted that the vessel, financed by OceanGate Expeditions, will have no breathable air by 7:08 a.m. EST Thursday. Some experts theorize that the crew may be making last-ditch efforts to conserve air, as the oxygen levels inside the vessel continue to plummet. However, the crew is at extreme risk of hypothermia, since the water temperature at the seabed is around 0ºC. Furthermore, the submersible may have lost power, which means that the crew would not be able to generate heat inside the vessel. As the oxygen levels drop, the amount of carbon dioxide being breathed out by the crew is rising. This shift could eventually put their lives at risk, as too much carbon dioxide in a person’s bloodstream can be fatal if left untreated.
The Missing Titanic Submersible Has Run Out of Oxygen https://t.co/qU4maJysIh
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 22, 2023
The Titan vessel owned by OceanGate Expeditions is the only five-man craft that can make the 12,500-foot journey to the Titanic wreckage site. The submersible vanished on Sunday, losing contact, and it has been theorized that a power failure may have crippled the ship. Though no trace of the vessel has been discovered, banging noises were detected on sonar late Tuesday night, indicating that it is still possible to find it. In the efforts to locate the submersible, an unmanned robot supplied by France has been sent to the wreckage site, which can travel to depths of up to 13,000 feet. The robot has a robot arm which would help in surfacing the Titan. The mission remains a search-and-rescue mission, and crews are still scouring an area twice the size of Connecticut in the hopes of finding the Titan. Rescuers have been quick to note that every available asset will be put in to find the Titan and its crew members.
TITANIC ACCIDENT. When I was at ABC News, I became the first TV correspondent in history to report from the wreck of the Titanic at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, 2-1/2 miles below the surface. An accident happened that almost claimed my life. Here's what happened. #Titanic… pic.twitter.com/b4t3WtaRdc
— Dr. Michael Guillén (@DrMGuillen) June 19, 2023
This situation highlights the risks of deep-sea diving and the dangers associated with it. Many have labeled these kinds of dangerous trips as “suicide missions,” and it is clear that the risks of this journey are enormous. With the Titan vessel now out of air, it is uncertain if the crew has that much longer to survive, and their options of safe retrieval are limited, given their precarious situation. Ultimately, it is a tragedy that the crew and the vessel are still missing, and it is hoped that they will be found soon.
