News

Debris Field Found Near Submersible Search Area

A possible break in the search for the missing Titanic sub, as rescuers have discovered a debris field.

Published June 22, 2023

With the help of a deep-sea robot, rescuers have discovered a debris field while searching for the submersible that went missing, carrying five people to the wreckage of the Titanic. Currently, experts are evaluating the discovery by the ROV or remotely operated vehicle, and Coast Guard officials are expected to discuss the findings during a news conference.

A tweet from the U.S Coast Guard Northeast account states, ‘A debris field was discovered within the search area by an ROV near the Titanic.’

Debris Field Found Near Submersible Search Area — Twitter

In addition to the deep-sea robots, search ships and planes have also been deployed to the northern Atlantic Ocean in the hopes of finding the lost 21-foot sub-Titan. The Coast Guard explained that one of the robots started searching for the Titanic sub on the sea floor while another was also added to the search effort.

The missing Titanic sub had launched into the Atlantic from a Canadian research vessel on Sunday and the vessel lost contact with the Titan an hour and 45 minutes into the dive.

Previously, officials claimed the Titanic Sub had limited oxygen on board that could have lasted 96 hours or into Thursday morning. As of Wednesday, Coast Guard Jamie Frederick said the remaining oxygen was a dialogue that’s happening but not the only details being considered in continuing the search. The co-founder of OceanGate has, however, said today remains a critical day in the search.

In a statement on Facebook, Guillermo Sohnlein claimed the group might have extended their life support supplies by relaxing as much as possible. He added, ‘I firmly believe that the time window available for their rescue is longer than what most people think.’ However, this comes one day after officials announced they’d heard underwater noises several times during the search, but that evidence hasn’t yielded any results.

OceanGate, the company that owns Titan and operates dives to the Titanic, had made trips to the shipwreck in 2021 and 2022, as per the company’s website. A journey with OceanGate, the only company offering dives to the Titanic site, costs $250,000 per person. Concerns had been raised during the construction of the submersible as experts were unsure if the vessel, made of carbon fiber, could withstand continuous trips to the depths of the ocean floor and exposure to the intense pressure at seafloor.

Joseph Adeyinka

Joseph Temitope Victoria, nicknamed ‘Temmie,’ is a GreenLemon Author and Content Creator. After her studies at Olabisi Onabanjo University, where she got a B.Sc. degree in Geography and Regional Planning, Temitope worked as Journalist with a specialization in Business and Economy. Temitope also holds an M.Sc. degree in Population and Manpower Planning, and interestingly she’s a self-taught poem writer. She owns a website ‘TemmiesAnthology’ and has spent nearly 6years writing on several niches. Whenever there’s free time, she spends it editing books – one of her newest is ‘In His Green Book’ by Terence A. Asitibasi. Temitope can certainly do whatever she sets her mind on.