Rescue teams are currently scrambling to find the Titan submersible which went missing near the wreck site of the Titanic.
The vessel carrying five people on board, including British billionaire Hamish Harding, is believed to have as little as 24 hours of oxygen left. The 6.7m long vessel lost communication with tour operators on Sunday.
Rescue operations for the vessels are ongoing after reports of noises being detected from the search area emerged. Explorers’ Club president Richard Garriot de Cayeux said in a statement: “There is cause for hope, that based on data from the field, we understand that likely signs of life have been detected at the site.
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“They precisely understand the experienced personnel and tech we can help deploy… We believe they are doing everything possible with all the resources they have.”
The goal of the Titan was to visit the wreck of the Titanic, while not an impossible feat, this was made more risky due to the condition of the vessel. To reach the wreckage, the Titan would have to have sustained pressure from being nearly 4,000 meters below sea level.
Concerns have been raised by experts on whether the vessel met safety regulations to undergo a trip of this magnitude.
How deep the Titanic wreckage is
The remains of the Titanic are located in the North Atlantic Ocean and lies around 12,500 feet (3800 metres) - around 2.3 miles. At this depth, the pressure is some 5,800 pounds per square inch – 390 times more than on the surface.
Expeditions to the site have been performed in the past, with around 140 people visiting the site since its discovery in the 1980s.
The Titanic itself finished its journey to North America when it was lost around 720 miles from Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Below is a map of where it sank. Click here if it does not load.
