The submarine involved and its travel project were exposed as safety hazards earlier.
At this moment, in the vast waters of the North Atlantic, rescue forces are racing against time to search for a missing sightseeing submarine. On the 18th local time, the submarine carried five passengers all the way to the wreck of the "Titanic" sleeping on the bottom of the sea, but disappeared shortly after the start of the journey.
Foreign media said that the rescue was extremely difficult, and there was little hope that the missing person would survive. American experts analyzed that the submarine may have "implosed" and disintegrated. It is estimated that it is only about 30 hours before the oxygen in the boat is exhausted.
The latest information shows that the Canadian maritime patrol aircraft "detected underwater noise in the search area" and found no target after searching. According to an internal memo, during Tuesday's search and rescue, search and rescue personnel heard a "bang" sound every 30 minutes. In addition, a Canadian aircraft found a white rectangular object in the water. Is this a signal that the submarine is about to "surface"?
What is surprising is that the submarine involved and its travel project were exposed to potential safety hazards earlier.
Adventure trip
The missing submarine "Titan" came from an American company called "Ocean Gate". The company launches a week-long sightseeing expedition to the wreck of the Titanic every summer, with a travel cost of US$250,000 (about 1.8 million yuan) per person. Ocean Gate said 28 people arrived on submarines last year at the site of the wreckage of the Titanic.
Infographic of the submarine "Titan". Source: "Ocean Gate"
The Titanic, which killed more than 1,500 people more than a hundred years ago, is now located about 3,800 meters underwater, while the Titan is said to be able to dive up to 4,000 meters. Normally, it takes about two hours for the Titanic to reach the area, and on the same day, it lost contact with the mother ship on the surface after 1 hour and 45 minutes of diving.
According to foreign media reports, the five missing on the submarine include Stockton Rush, the founder of the company involved, the British billionaire and adventurer Hamish Harding, 48, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleiman, and the 77-year-old French submarine pilot Paul-Henri Nagolet.
Before disappearing, the rich man Harding also posted on social platforms that although the weather was bad, the sightseeing trip went on schedule.
There is little life
The US rescue team said on the 20th local time that the search and rescue work has not yet achieved any results. It is reported that the United States and Canada have put into the search for aircraft, submarines, sonar buoys and other equipment, and France, Britain and other countries have subsequently sent rescue teams. U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Jimie Frederick said at a news conference Tuesday that U.S. and Canadian aircraft have searched more than 7,600 square miles of the high sea, an area larger than Connecticut.
However, due to the complex environment of the deep sea, experts say the rescue is extremely difficult. The rescue depth of nearly 4,000 meters may be the highest in history. As time passed, the hope of survival of the missing became increasingly slim. The oxygen in the boat is expected to be exhausted on the evening of the 22nd Beijing time.
Canada sends naval ships equipped with hyperbaric chambers. Source: Royal Canadian Navy vessels
Speaking of the reasons for the disappearance, Eric Fawsier, a submarine expert and associate professor at the University of Adelaide, analyzed that the submarine may have suffered a communication failure caused by a power outage, implosion caused by seabed pressure, or entangled in obstacles. He said a power outage could cause communications to be disrupted, while a short circuit could cause a fire, which would not only damage submarine systems but also produce toxic fumes in small, confined spaces, endangering the safety of tourists.
Similarly, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Moger also said at a press conference on the 19th that the missing submarine was most likely entangled in the wreckage of the "Titanic".
So, is it possible that the submarine is no longer at the bottom of the sea? Alistair Gregg, a professor of marine engineering at University College London, said that if an emergency occurs in the middle of a submarine, the pilot may release heavy objects to the surface. However, the submarine is sealed by external bolts, and even if it surfaces, passengers cannot escape without assistance.
In addition, American oceanographer Dr. David Gallo also pointed to the possibility that the submarine may have imploded. If the submersible disintegrates, he said, some of the debris will sink to the bottom of the sea and some will surface, but very large pieces of debris may not be visible from the air.
View the wreck of the Titanic from an observation window inside the submarine. Source: "Ocean Gate"
There are hidden dangers for a long time
As the disappearance of the submarine continues to unfold, safety concerns about the expedition have emerged. Foreign media revealed that the submarine was not approved by regulators, and the company involved fired former employees who questioned the safety of the submarine a few years ago.
CBS reporter David Pogue also experienced this adventure aboard the "Titan" in 2022. He said he had to sign a waiver before departure informing him that the submersible was "not approved or certified by any regulatory body" and could result in death.
Reuters reported that David Lochridge, former director of marine operations at Ocean Gate, the company involved, questioned that the submarine's hull design could not withstand such a huge seabed depth. After that, the company fired him and sued him and his wife in 2018, accusing them of sharing confidential information, among other things.
According to the New York Times, a group of submersible industry leaders wrote to the companies involved, saying that the "experimental" approach to the submarine's development could lead to "minor to catastrophic" problems.
It seems that the "Titan" is not as its name suggests. Time is running out for rescue, praying for a miracle to happen...
Written by Wang Jiaye
Source: Xinmin Evening News