These are the critical moments of hope dwindling. Just a few hours remain before the fate of the five passengers aboard the OceanGate submarine, which embarked on a journey to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday, will be determined.
Their destination is a location 600 kilometers off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, where the wreckage of the Titanic rests at a depth of 3,600 meters, a haunting reminder of the tragic collision with an iceberg in 1912 that claimed over 1,500 lives.
These adventurous individuals, affluent and curious, were willing to pay $250,000 for the opportunity to witness firsthand the remnants of a calamity etched in history.
“We estimate the submarine has an emergency endurance of 70 to 96 hours,” stated Admiral John Mauger of the US Coast Guard. “We are utilizing every moment diligently during this critical period.”
As of 1 p.m. (New York time) on Tuesday, June 20, the Coast Guard calculated that only 40 hours remained.
Among those missing are prominent figures, including British billionaire Hamish Harding, as indicated in a now-deleted Facebook post by his stepson, Brian Szasz. Harding, 58, serves as chairman of the aviation company Action Aviation and is recognized for his previous space travel experience. Additionally, Shahzada Dawood, a Pakistani businessman, and his son Suleman are also among the missing.
Accompanying them is Frenchman Paul Henri Nargeolet, a former ship commander, deep-sea diver, and submarine pilot. Nargeolet, renowned for his expertise as the Director of Underwater Research for E/M Group and RMS Titanic, Inc., is considered the foremost authority on the Titanic wreck site and may be the current submarine manager, as reported by The Guardian.
During a brief press conference, Admiral Mauger explained that the search operation encompasses both underwater exploration with sonar buoys and surface scans in case the submarine has resurfaced but lost communication. The United States has deployed two C130s for the mission, with an additional aircraft en route from the New York National Guard.
Presently, sea conditions in the search area are relatively normal, with moderate waves and some fog. “It is an isolated region,” Mauger added, “challenging to monitor, but we are mobilizing all available resources to locate the vessel and rescue the individuals on board.”
The Coast Guard also disclosed that the last communication with the submarine occurred approximately one hour and 45 minutes after the dive.
