A search continued Tuesday for a five-person submersible that went missing Sunday morning while ferrying tourists to view the sunken wreckage of the Titanic off the coast of southeast Canada.
Wealthy British adventurer Hamish Harding, and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman are on board. The two others believed to be on board are French Navy veteran PH Nargeolet, who would be driving the vessel, and Stockton Rush, CEO and founder of watercraft operator OceanGate Expeditions.
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The U.S. Coast Guard, which is leading the mission, said Tuesday afternoon the search had yet to yield results and that the vessel is estimated to contain 40 more hours of oxygen.
Read live updates on the search below:
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Memos Reveal 'Banging' And 'Tapping' Sounds Detected During The Search
An internal government memo update revealed that a Canadian aircraft searching for the missing vessel heard banging sounds every 30 minutes on Tuesday from the area where the vessel disappeared, Rolling Stone magazine first reported.
“RCC Halifax launched a P8, Poseidon, which has underwater detection capabilities from the air,” the email sent to the Department of Homeland Security stated.
It continued: “The P8 deployed sonobuoys, which reported a contact in a position close to the distress position. The P8 heard banging sounds in the area every 30 minutes. Four hours later additional sonar was deployed and banging was still heard.”
The memo did not state when the banging sounds were first detected on Tuesday or what may have caused the sounds.
Another update sent Tuesday night again detailed that sounds were detected. But the sounds weren’t described as “banging,” CNN reported.
“Additional acoustic feedback was heard and will assist in vectoring surface assets and also indicating continued hope of survivors,” the update stated.
According to an email sent Tuesday afternoon from the president of the Explorers Society, a travel and research group, additional sounds were detected at 2 a.m. local time from the location but were described more as a “tapping” noise, “implying crew may be alive and signaling.”
The email urged the group to contact their representatives to use remote-operated vehicles (ROV) made by a private British company to assist, stating that two of Explorers Society members were aboard the Titan, Rolling Stone reported.
“A team out of the UK named Magellan has an ROV rated for 6,000 meters which is loaded on a plane and ready and waiting to help,” the email stated. “BUT THE US GOV and USCG have not yet given them permits to participate!”
The Boston Coast Guard, Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, the DHS and the U.S. Coast Guard did not respond to a request from Rolling Stone for comment on the detected sounds. OceanGate, the U.S. Coast Guard in Boston and Canadian authorities did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
“RCC Halifax launched a P8, Poseidon, which has underwater detection capabilities from the air,” the email sent to the Department of Homeland Security stated.
It continued: “The P8 deployed sonobuoys, which reported a contact in a position close to the distress position. The P8 heard banging sounds in the area every 30 minutes. Four hours later additional sonar was deployed and banging was still heard.”
The memo did not state when the banging sounds were first detected on Tuesday or what may have caused the sounds.
Another update sent Tuesday night again detailed that sounds were detected. But the sounds weren’t described as “banging,” CNN reported.
“Additional acoustic feedback was heard and will assist in vectoring surface assets and also indicating continued hope of survivors,” the update stated.
According to an email sent Tuesday afternoon from the president of the Explorers Society, a travel and research group, additional sounds were detected at 2 a.m. local time from the location but were described more as a “tapping” noise, “implying crew may be alive and signaling.”
The email urged the group to contact their representatives to use remote-operated vehicles (ROV) made by a private British company to assist, stating that two of Explorers Society members were aboard the Titan, Rolling Stone reported.
“A team out of the UK named Magellan has an ROV rated for 6,000 meters which is loaded on a plane and ready and waiting to help,” the email stated. “BUT THE US GOV and USCG have not yet given them permits to participate!”
The Boston Coast Guard, Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, the DHS and the U.S. Coast Guard did not respond to a request from Rolling Stone for comment on the detected sounds. OceanGate, the U.S. Coast Guard in Boston and Canadian authorities did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Coast Guard: A 'Unified Command' Has Been Established As Search Continues
The U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release on Tuesday night that it has established a “unified command” with the U.S. Navy, the Canadian Coast Guard and OceanGate Expeditions as it continues its search for the submersible research vessel that went missing Sunday evening.
More than 10,000 square miles had been searched as of Tuesday morning, which was made possible due to weather improvements and increased visibility.
The Coast Guard said that at 7 a.m. EDT, a Bahamian research vessel arrived on scene and began remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operations.
The search was then continued at about 4 p.m. EDT by a crew from the Air National Guard 106th Rescue Wing. Now there are six vessels and ships on their way to continue the search, the Coast Guard said.
“This is a complex search effort which requires multiple agencies with subject matter expertise and specialized equipment which we have gained through the unified command,” Capt. Jamie Frederick, the response coordinator for the 1st Coast Guard District said in the statement Tuesday night.
Frederick added: “While the Coast Guard has assumed the role of Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator, we do not have all of the necessary expertise and equipment required in a search of this nature. The Unified Command brings that expertise and additional capability together to maximize effort in solving this complex problem.”
More than 10,000 square miles had been searched as of Tuesday morning, which was made possible due to weather improvements and increased visibility.
The Coast Guard said that at 7 a.m. EDT, a Bahamian research vessel arrived on scene and began remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operations.
The search was then continued at about 4 p.m. EDT by a crew from the Air National Guard 106th Rescue Wing. Now there are six vessels and ships on their way to continue the search, the Coast Guard said.
“This is a complex search effort which requires multiple agencies with subject matter expertise and specialized equipment which we have gained through the unified command,” Capt. Jamie Frederick, the response coordinator for the 1st Coast Guard District said in the statement Tuesday night.
Frederick added: “While the Coast Guard has assumed the role of Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator, we do not have all of the necessary expertise and equipment required in a search of this nature. The Unified Command brings that expertise and additional capability together to maximize effort in solving this complex problem.”
VICTORIA SIRAKOVA VIA GETTY IMAGES
Missing Sub Rider Accepted Risk Of No Rescue
After accomplishing a record-setting dive to the Mariana Trench in 2021, Hamish Harding told an Indian newsmagazine that there was no coming back if any issues were to arise during a deep-sea dive.
“If something goes wrong, you are not coming back,” Harding, a British businessman, had told The Week.
Harding’s dive to the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest part of the ocean, set two Guinness World Records.
Harding is a passenger on the missing submersible craft.
Read Nina Golgowski's report on his previous dive here.
“If something goes wrong, you are not coming back,” Harding, a British businessman, had told The Week.
Harding’s dive to the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest part of the ocean, set two Guinness World Records.
Harding is a passenger on the missing submersible craft.
Read Nina Golgowski's report on his previous dive here.
Marine Tech Experts Warned Of ‘Catastrophic’ Outcome
Five years ago, a committee of marine technology professionals signed a letter warning that the submersible’s planned trips to the Titanic could have “negative outcomes” ranging from “minor to catastrophic.”
The Marine Technology Society, made up of scientists and engineers, sent the letter expressing “unanimous concern” to OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush on March 27, 2018, according to a New York Times report.
“Our apprehension is that the current experimental approach adopted by OceanGate could result in negative outcomes (from minor to catastrophic) that would have serious consequences for everyone in the industry,” the letter warned.
The group accused OceanGate of not intending to follow internationally agreed-upon regulations set by the DNV-GL, a classification society that sets standards for the structures of marine vessels.
The group urged Stockton to test a prototype of the Titan with DNV-GL.
They also suggested that Titan’s marketing materials falsely advertise that the submersible’s design would “meet or exceed the DNV-GL safety standards.”
The group wrote, “Your representation is, at minimum, misleading to the public and breaches an industry-wide professional code of conduct we all endeavor to uphold.”
The Marine Technology Society, made up of scientists and engineers, sent the letter expressing “unanimous concern” to OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush on March 27, 2018, according to a New York Times report.
“Our apprehension is that the current experimental approach adopted by OceanGate could result in negative outcomes (from minor to catastrophic) that would have serious consequences for everyone in the industry,” the letter warned.
The group accused OceanGate of not intending to follow internationally agreed-upon regulations set by the DNV-GL, a classification society that sets standards for the structures of marine vessels.
The group urged Stockton to test a prototype of the Titan with DNV-GL.
They also suggested that Titan’s marketing materials falsely advertise that the submersible’s design would “meet or exceed the DNV-GL safety standards.”
The group wrote, “Your representation is, at minimum, misleading to the public and breaches an industry-wide professional code of conduct we all endeavor to uphold.”
U.S. Military Sending Salvage Equipment In Case Needed
Extremely heavy-duty salvage equipment is on its way to the area where scores of experts are working around the clock to locate the missing submersible. The Pentagon said that the U.S. Navy and U.S. Transportation Command, tasked with moving people and military assets, are sending experts alongside the Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage System (FADOSS) to arrive as soon as Tuesday night.
FADOSS is a “ship lift system designed to provide reliable deep ocean lifting capacity of up to 60,000 pounds for the recovery of large, bulky, and heavy sunken objects such as aircraft or small vessels,” the Navy says on its website. Last year, it was used to recover an F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter from a depth of more than 12,000 feet underwater.
FADOSS is a “ship lift system designed to provide reliable deep ocean lifting capacity of up to 60,000 pounds for the recovery of large, bulky, and heavy sunken objects such as aircraft or small vessels,” the Navy says on its website. Last year, it was used to recover an F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter from a depth of more than 12,000 feet underwater.
Yes, There Is A Bathroom On The Sub
Voyages on the Titan typically last half a day, meaning there is a good chance passengers will need to use a toilet. But the submersible’s bathroom is really just a black box with a “pee bottle” and “a set of Ziploc bags,” according to CBS reporter David Pogue, who has been on board the tiny vessel. A curtain is drawn, and other passengers can turn the music up loud for privacy.
On a now-defunct website for its Titanic exhibitions, OceanGate recommends that passengers “restrict your diet before and during the dive to reduce the likelihood that you will need to use the facilities.” If required, however, its location at the front window makes it “the best seat in the house."
On a now-defunct website for its Titanic exhibitions, OceanGate recommends that passengers “restrict your diet before and during the dive to reduce the likelihood that you will need to use the facilities.” If required, however, its location at the front window makes it “the best seat in the house."
Ex-Employee Tried Sounding Alarm On Sub Safety At Extreme Depths
OceanGate, the company behind the Titanic voyage, was accused by a former employee of running a reckless shop, according to a new report.
In 2018, while David Lockridge was serving as the company’s director of marine operations, he tried sounding the alarm over the submersible’s hull design but was ignored and fired, according to legal documents obtained by The New Republic.
OceanGate reportedly sued Lockridge for breach of contract after he refused to OK manned tests. Lockridge then filed a counterclaim, stating in part that “visible flaws” had been noticed in “carbon end samples for the Titan,” the vessel that is now missing. Its hull is made of five-inch-thick carbon fiber.
The documents stated that Lockridge “again stressed the potential danger to passengers of the Titan as the submersible reached extreme depths. The constant pressure cycling weakens existing flaws resulting in large tears of the carbon. Non-destructive testing was critical to detect such potentially existing flaws in order to ensure a solid and safe product for the safety of the passengers and crew.”
Lockridge alleged that the company’s leadership also refused to pay for a viewing portal that could withstand more than 4,300 feet of pressure; the wreck of the Titanic lies 13,000 feet underwater.
Another lawsuit, filed this February by a Florida couple, alleges that OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush misled the pair into spending over $210,000 on a voyage that never transpired because the Titan was failing safety tests, The Daily Beast reported. Rush is believed to be aboard the missing submersible, along with four others.
In 2018, while David Lockridge was serving as the company’s director of marine operations, he tried sounding the alarm over the submersible’s hull design but was ignored and fired, according to legal documents obtained by The New Republic.
OceanGate reportedly sued Lockridge for breach of contract after he refused to OK manned tests. Lockridge then filed a counterclaim, stating in part that “visible flaws” had been noticed in “carbon end samples for the Titan,” the vessel that is now missing. Its hull is made of five-inch-thick carbon fiber.
The documents stated that Lockridge “again stressed the potential danger to passengers of the Titan as the submersible reached extreme depths. The constant pressure cycling weakens existing flaws resulting in large tears of the carbon. Non-destructive testing was critical to detect such potentially existing flaws in order to ensure a solid and safe product for the safety of the passengers and crew.”
Lockridge alleged that the company’s leadership also refused to pay for a viewing portal that could withstand more than 4,300 feet of pressure; the wreck of the Titanic lies 13,000 feet underwater.
Another lawsuit, filed this February by a Florida couple, alleges that OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush misled the pair into spending over $210,000 on a voyage that never transpired because the Titan was failing safety tests, The Daily Beast reported. Rush is believed to be aboard the missing submersible, along with four others.
Coast Guard Says Sub Has 40 Hours Of Oxygen Left
The missing submersible has roughly 40 hours of breathable air left inside it, a U.S. Coast Guard official said Tuesday while sharing updates on the ongoing rescue efforts.
U.S. Coast Guard Cpt. Jamie Frederick, speaking to reporters, said 7,600 square miles have been searched but “to date, those search efforts have not yielded any results.” He said more aircraft are scheduled to join the search today and that the Coast Guard is using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to search the last known location of the vessel.
Frederick called the search both “unique” and “challenging.” Crews have to search both under the water and at the surface. It’s also physically difficult to reach the remote area, which is about 900 miles off Cape Cod, especially for large vessels carrying heavy equipment.
“Nine hundred miles is an enormous amount of distance,” said Coast Guard Public Affairs Chief Robert Simpson, who added that the rescue coordination center is in Boston.
Depending on the vessel and where it’s departing from, it could be a matter of “two days to four to five days” to reach the location, said Simpson.
He said there was little visibility during Monday’s search due to fog but that the conditions have been improving.
U.S. Coast Guard Cpt. Jamie Frederick, speaking to reporters, said 7,600 square miles have been searched but “to date, those search efforts have not yielded any results.” He said more aircraft are scheduled to join the search today and that the Coast Guard is using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to search the last known location of the vessel.
Frederick called the search both “unique” and “challenging.” Crews have to search both under the water and at the surface. It’s also physically difficult to reach the remote area, which is about 900 miles off Cape Cod, especially for large vessels carrying heavy equipment.
“Nine hundred miles is an enormous amount of distance,” said Coast Guard Public Affairs Chief Robert Simpson, who added that the rescue coordination center is in Boston.
Depending on the vessel and where it’s departing from, it could be a matter of “two days to four to five days” to reach the location, said Simpson.
He said there was little visibility during Monday’s search due to fog but that the conditions have been improving.
Wilfredo Lee via AP
Sub’s CEO Expressed Concerns Of Not Resurfacing
OceanGate’s founder and CEO said he most worried about getting stuck and not resurfacing when asked last year about what there was to worry about while diving down to the Titanic.
"What I worry about most are things that will stop me from being able to get to the surface," Stockton Rush (pictured at left) said on reporter David Pogue’s podcast, "Unsung Science."
"Overhangs, fish nets, entanglement hazards. And, that's just a technique, piloting technique. It's pretty clear — if it's an overhang, don't go under it. If there is a net, don't go near it. So, you can avoid those if you are just slow and steady,” he said.
Rush added that everything in life involves risk but that he felt safe making the trek.
"I don't think it's very dangerous. If you look at submersible activity over the last three decades, there hasn't even been a major injury, let alone a fatality," he said.
A former ABC News correspondent who completed the same dive in 2000, said his vessel found itself unable to surface when a strong underwater current propelled him and his crew beneath the ship’s stern.
Michael Guillen, recalling his experience on Twitter on Tuesday, said the incident “almost claimed my life” and that it took some time for the submersible he was in to get free.
"What I worry about most are things that will stop me from being able to get to the surface," Stockton Rush (pictured at left) said on reporter David Pogue’s podcast, "Unsung Science."
"Overhangs, fish nets, entanglement hazards. And, that's just a technique, piloting technique. It's pretty clear — if it's an overhang, don't go under it. If there is a net, don't go near it. So, you can avoid those if you are just slow and steady,” he said.
Rush added that everything in life involves risk but that he felt safe making the trek.
"I don't think it's very dangerous. If you look at submersible activity over the last three decades, there hasn't even been a major injury, let alone a fatality," he said.
A former ABC News correspondent who completed the same dive in 2000, said his vessel found itself unable to surface when a strong underwater current propelled him and his crew beneath the ship’s stern.
Michael Guillen, recalling his experience on Twitter on Tuesday, said the incident “almost claimed my life” and that it took some time for the submersible he was in to get free.
Adding A Beacon To Sub Was Discussed
David Pogue, "CBS Sunday Morning" correspondent, tweeted that during his expedition covering OceanGate’s submarine last summer, the submersible got lost for about five hours underseas.
A passenger told "CBS Sunday Morning" that the vessel was lost for two and a half hours.
Pogue said the submarine does not have any kind of beacon like an aircraft's emergency locator transmitter that could be detected by searchers, but he said adding one was discussed after the previous incident with the lost vessel.
A passenger told "CBS Sunday Morning" that the vessel was lost for two and a half hours.
Pogue said the submarine does not have any kind of beacon like an aircraft's emergency locator transmitter that could be detected by searchers, but he said adding one was discussed after the previous incident with the lost vessel.
Sub Uses Video Game Controller, Which Military Does Too
OceanGate’s lost submersible uses a video game controller to steer, which is not unheard of in military vessels either.
OceanGate founder and CEO Stockton Rush showed off one of the gaming controllers during a tour of the submersible last year with the CBC.
“It’s meant for a 16-year-old to throw it around and it’s super durable. We keep a couple spares on board just in case,” he said of the Bluetooth-equipped device.
In 2017 the U.S. Navy announced it would use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes on some of its newer, more advanced submarines.
“The Navy got together and they asked a bunch of [junior officers] and junior guys, ‘What can we do to make your life better?’” Lt. j.g. Kyle Leonard, the USS John Warner’s assistant weapons officer, told The Virginian-Pilot. “And one of the things that came out is the controls for the scope. It’s kind of clunky in your hand; it’s real heavy.”
Other cited perks of using a video game controller is that they can be easily replaced and that many sailors are already familiar with how to use them.
OceanGate founder and CEO Stockton Rush showed off one of the gaming controllers during a tour of the submersible last year with the CBC.
“It’s meant for a 16-year-old to throw it around and it’s super durable. We keep a couple spares on board just in case,” he said of the Bluetooth-equipped device.
In 2017 the U.S. Navy announced it would use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes on some of its newer, more advanced submarines.
“The Navy got together and they asked a bunch of [junior officers] and junior guys, ‘What can we do to make your life better?’” Lt. j.g. Kyle Leonard, the USS John Warner’s assistant weapons officer, told The Virginian-Pilot. “And one of the things that came out is the controls for the scope. It’s kind of clunky in your hand; it’s real heavy.”
Other cited perks of using a video game controller is that they can be easily replaced and that many sailors are already familiar with how to use them.
Friend Of Missing Sub Crew Member Shares Her Biggest Concern
A friend of British explorer and businessman Hamish Harding, who is aboard the missing vessel, said Tuesday she is confident he will be a "valuable crew member."
"I do believe that his training will serve him well because he is a seasoned pilot and he's proven his durability by flying into space," among other places, Jannicke Mikkelsen told Sky News.
Mikkelsen added that she is most concerned about the possibility of the crew "being stuck at the bottom of the ocean with 96 hours of air and not able to get back to the surface."
"I do believe that his training will serve him well because he is a seasoned pilot and he's proven his durability by flying into space," among other places, Jannicke Mikkelsen told Sky News.
Mikkelsen added that she is most concerned about the possibility of the crew "being stuck at the bottom of the ocean with 96 hours of air and not able to get back to the surface."
U.S. Coast Guard: 10,000 Square Miles Searched So Far
The U.S. Coast Guard said 10,000 square miles — roughly the size of Maryland — have been searched as of Tuesday morning.
Current search efforts include the use of Canadian aircraft that can detect submarines using sonar. Two research vessels, including the ship that the submersible was launched from, are continuing to search the water’s surface, the Coast Guard said.
Current search efforts include the use of Canadian aircraft that can detect submarines using sonar. Two research vessels, including the ship that the submersible was launched from, are continuing to search the water’s surface, the Coast Guard said.
Company Behind Missing Sub Says Starlink Made Prior Titanic Expeditions 'A Success'
The company behind the missing submersible earlier this month thanked Elon Musk’s Starlink for making available the internet connection required “to make our #Titanic dive operations a success.”
There is no evidence to suggest Musk’s company is in any way responsible for the loss of communication between the Titanic vessel and the Polar Prince ship.
Starlink, which is operated by SpaceX, is a satellite constellation that delivers internet capabilities in remote locations.
“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,” OceanGate Expeditions, which operates the five-person sub, wrote on Twitter last week in another post.
There is no evidence to suggest Musk’s company is in any way responsible for the loss of communication between the Titanic vessel and the Polar Prince ship.
Starlink, which is operated by SpaceX, is a satellite constellation that delivers internet capabilities in remote locations.
“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,” OceanGate Expeditions, which operates the five-person sub, wrote on Twitter last week in another post.
Man Recalls Sub Getting Stuck Under Titanic’s Stern During 2000 Dive
A former ABC News correspondent has said he nearly died while touring the Titanic wreckage in 2000 when his submersible got sucked under the ship’s stern.
Michael Guillen on Tuesday shared a video clip from his trip on Twitter while recalling how the accident “almost claimed my life.”
In the video shot for ABC News, Guillen says a strong underwater current pushed their vessel up to the ship’s propellers along the seafloor. When they tried to back out, they found themselves stuck beneath the stern.
Guillen also recalled the harrowing incident in his 2021 book, “Believing Is Seeing,” according to the Daily Mail.
In his book, he said his vessel slammed into the ship and it took them 30 minutes to break free.
“I felt the shock of the collision: rusty debris showered down on our submersible, obscuring my view through the porthole,” he wrote.
Just when he thought they would never escape, the watercraft broke free after extensive “forward and backward” rocking by the team.
Michael Guillen on Tuesday shared a video clip from his trip on Twitter while recalling how the accident “almost claimed my life.”
In the video shot for ABC News, Guillen says a strong underwater current pushed their vessel up to the ship’s propellers along the seafloor. When they tried to back out, they found themselves stuck beneath the stern.
Guillen also recalled the harrowing incident in his 2021 book, “Believing Is Seeing,” according to the Daily Mail.
In his book, he said his vessel slammed into the ship and it took them 30 minutes to break free.
“I felt the shock of the collision: rusty debris showered down on our submersible, obscuring my view through the porthole,” he wrote.
Just when he thought they would never escape, the watercraft broke free after extensive “forward and backward” rocking by the team.