“Signs of life may have been detected” because a Canadian aircraft on Wednesday heard “explosions” every 30 minutes from the area where the OceanGate Expedition’s Titan submarine went missing.
The development was first reported by the US publication Rolling Stone, and has now been confirmed by the US Coast Guard.
The military branch said on its official Twitter page, “Canadian P-3 aircraft detected underwater noises in the search area. Consequently, an ROV (remotely operated (vehicle) operations have been relocated,” the military branch said on its official Twitter page.
Those ROV searches have yielded negative results but will continue, he said, adding that the data has been shared with US Navy experts for further analysis that will be considered in future search plans.
Additionally, the data from the P-3 aircraft has been shared with our U.S. Navy experts for further analysis which will be considered in future search plans. 2/2 #Titanic
— USCGNortheast (@USCGNortheast) June 21, 2023
The US publication obtained information about internal email updates sent to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership.
“RCC Halifax launches P8, Poseidon, with air-to-underwater detection capability,” the emails read.
“P8 deployed sonobuoys, which reported a contact near the distress position. P8 heard banging sounds in the area every 30 minutes. Four hours later additional sonar was deployed and still banging sounds. were heard.
However, the announcement did not specify when the explosion was heard or what might have caused it, as a multi-agency and multi-government effort has been expanded so that divers are now on less than 30 hours of oxygen.
Search site
The crew of the Titan submarine lost contact with their auxiliary surface vehicle, the Polar Prince, an hour and 45 minutes after diving to search for the wreckage of the Titanic on Sunday.
The 114-year-old cruise shipwreck is located 435 miles (700 km) south of St. John’s in the eastern Canadian province of Newfoundland. However, the rescue operation is being coordinated from Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
‘There is cause for hope’
Explorers Club president Richard Garriot de Ceaux confirmed in a social media post Tuesday night that there is “reason for hope.”
In a statement, they said: “We are very confident that 1) there is cause for optimism based on data from the field – we believe that signs of life may have been found at this site.”
Message from President Richard Garriott Regarding the Ongoing Titanic Search and Rescue Mission pic.twitter.com/ec7YX5VQCY
— ExplorersClub (@ExplorersClub) June 21, 2023
The 21-foot (6.5 m) submarine, named the Titan, was carrying three fee-paying passengers when it disappeared on Sunday: British billionaire Hamish Harding, Pakistani tycoon Prince Dawood and Dawood’s son Sulaiman.
OceanGate Expeditions, which operates trips to Titan, charges $250,000 for a set.
Company CEO Stockton Rush and French submarine operator Paul-Henri Norgeulet, nicknamed “Mr. Titanic” for his frequent dives at the site, are also on board.
U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Jamie Frederick told reporters Tuesday that his organization was cooperating with the search.
But, he said, it was incredibly difficult, and far beyond what the Coast Guard would normally deal with.
“While the U.S. Coast Guard has assumed the role of search and rescue mission coordinator, we do not have all the necessary expertise and equipment needed to conduct a search of this nature,” he said.
“This is a complex search effort, requiring multiple agencies with subject matter expertise and specialized equipment.”
Frederick explained that rescuers were using multiple methods as they combed the vast area for the Titan, which lost contact with its mother after just two hours in a dive near the Titanic’s watery grave. .
“Search efforts have focused both on the surface with the C-130 aircraft searching with sight and radar, and below ground with the P3 aircraft, we are able to drop and monitor sonar buoys.”
