ONE INDIA
A search and rescue operation has been launched to locate a submersible carrying five people that has lost contact near the site of the Titanic wreckage. Contact with the Titan submersible was lost about an hour and 45 minutes into its journey to the Titanic shipwreck, as per the US Coast Guard.
The carbon-fibre submersible named the Titan, part of a mission by OceanGate Expeditions, carried a pilot, a renowned British adventurer, two members of an iconic Pakistani business family and another passenger.
What is Titan submersible?
According to the official website of OceanGate, Titan is a Cyclops-class manned submersible designed to take five people to depths of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) for site survey and inspection, research and data collection, film and media production, and deep sea testing of hardware and software. Titan is lighter in weight 10,432 kg (23,000 lbs) and more cost efficient to mobilize than any other deep diving submersible.
OceanGate recently shared a tweet stating, “Without any cell towers in the middle of the ocean, we are relying on @Starlink to provide the communications we require throughout this year’s 2023 Titanic expedition.”
Additionally, the submersible is equipped with a 96-hour bottled oxygen supply, although the duration may be influenced by the breathing rate of those on board, particularly if there are tourists with limited diving experience.
It must be noted that the company takes paying customers to see the Titanic at a price tag of USD 250,000 a spot.
Titan Specifications:
Depth: 4,000 meters (13,123 feet)
Capacity: 5 persons (1 pilot + 4 crew)
Pressure Vessel Material: Carbon Fiber and Titanium
Overall Dimensions: 670cm x 280cm x 250cm (22ft x 9.2ft x 8.3ft high)
Weight: 10,432 kg (23,000 lbs)
Payload: 685 kg (1,510 lbs)
Speed: 3 knots
Propulsion: Four Innerspace 1002 electric thrusters
Life Support: 96 hours for 5 crew
Integrated Technology: Sub C Imaging 4k Rayfin camera, Teledyne 2D sonar, 40,000 lumens of external light, 2G Robotics laser scanner, INS/USBL.
When and Where Did the Titan Go Missing?
The Titan, a submersible, embarked on its journey in Atlantic Ocean on Sunday morning but unfortunately lost contact with its support vessel, the Polar Prince, approximately one hour and 45 minutes later.
