The coordinator of the search operation for the missing “Titan” with five occupants has indicated that the search may fail. It is still unclear who or what the knocking sounds registered on Tuesday came from.
In view of the elapsing time in which the occupants of the “Titan” still have breathing air, the US Coast Guard mission coordinator, Jamie Frederick, has spoken of a possible failure of the mission. “Sometimes we don’t find what we’re looking for,” he said at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon (local time). It is also unclear who or what made the knocking sounds, which were interpreted as a possible sign of life from the “Titan” occupants. “We don’t know what that is,” Frederick said.
Oceanographic Systems Laboratory expert Carl Hartsfield, who was involved in the search, said: “From my experience with acoustics I can tell you that there are sounds made by biological matter that sound made by humans to the untrained ear. But I can assure you, that the people listening to these tapes are trained.”
Knocking noises had spread hope
US Navy experts who are able to analyze such noises are evaluating the data, Frederick said. But there are no results yet. Despite all the uncertainties, the knocking noises were taken as a sign of hope, oceanographer Simon Boxall from the University of Southampton told the BBC. The loud gave hope that “it’s still a rescue operation and not just a salvage operation”.
On Sunday, the submersible operated by the company OceanGate Expeditions, with a pilot and four guests on board, set off on a tourist dive trip to the wreck of the “Titanic” at a depth of 3800 meters. Contact with the escort ship was lost after almost two hours, and the vehicle has been searched for ever since.
More and more search ships arrive
According to the US Coast Guard, three special ships have now arrived in the search area, which are equipped with sonars and are now driving search patterns in the suspected accident area. More rescue ships are on their way, so a French ship equipped with a modern deep-sea diving robot is also due to arrive on Thursday night.
Time for inmates is running out
According to estimates by the authorities, the oxygen on board the “Titan” should only last until Thursday noon. Even if the submersible is found, recovery could be difficult.
Even experts disagree on how difficult it is. The submarine expert Alistair Greig from University College London pointed out in the BBC that there are not many ships that are technically able to operate at such great depths and lift the submersible. He doubted that a rescue vehicle could attach itself to the hatch of the “Titan”.
Oceanographer Tim Taylor, on the other hand, told the US broadcaster NBC: “Lifting the boat from the bottom is not as difficult or complicated as one might think when it is still intact.”
Notes on construction flaws
The German former submarine driver and retired frigate captain, Jürgen Weber, expressed pessimism about being able to find the “Titan” in time. He also referred to fundamental design flaws that the boat had. Among other things, it cannot be opened from the inside: “I don’t get into a submersible that I can’t open from the inside. I think that’s a very serious lack of safety. Even if you’re floating at the top and would like to breathe, you get the boat don’t go up. That’s catastrophic in my eyes.”
Deficiencies were apparently known to the operating company
The shortcomings of the apparently experimental design of the “Titan” should not be new to the company that operates it, OceanGate. The New York Times published a letter that submersible industry executives wrote to OceanGate back in 2018. It states: “We are concerned that OceanGate’s current experimental approach could lead to negative results (ranging from minor to catastrophic).” Previous passengers of the “Titan” also reported that the boat made an improvised impression on them and that breakdowns had also occurred.
OceanGate again pledged to make every effort to rescue the five missing. “All possible steps are being taken to bring the five crew members back safely,” it said in a statement. We are “deeply grateful for the urgent and comprehensive support we are receiving from multiple government agencies and deepwater companies.”