According to CNN, some experts said that the amount of oxygen on the missing Titan submersible with 5 people on board is becoming a matter of life and death as advanced equipment has been rushed to the North Atlantic in a large-scale search operation. Loud thumping sounds from underwater were detected on June 20 and 21 in the search area, raising hopes of survivors.

Rescuers are facing many challenges and difficulties in the process of searching for the Titan. "It's dark and the temperature is very low when you dive down. The seabed is muddy and the terrain is rough," Tim Maltin, an expert on the sinking of the Titanic and maritime accidents, told Reuters news agency. In addition to the complex terrain, factors such as water pressure and currents can have a big impact on the search process.

Titan submersible. Photo: OceanGate

The Titan submersible is owned by OceanGate, a private US company that provides ocean exploration tours. Nearly two hours after starting its journey on the morning of June 18, the Titan submersible lost contact with its mothership, the Polar Prince. The US Coast Guard said that remote-controlled deep-sea vehicles from Canada, the UK and France were deployed to the scene, scouring a large area of ​​the North Atlantic to search for the ship. According to OceanGate Advisor David Concannon, the ship had enough oxygen supply for 96 hours, starting at about 6 a.m. on June 18 (local time). In theory, this amount of oxygen would be enough to last until the morning of June 22. However, this time also depends on the breathing rate of those inside the ship, especially if passengers on board with little diving experience will gasp for breath due to panic.

In 2020, OceanGate announced a tour of the Titanic wreck, which costs about $250,000 per person. The submersible typically carries five people: a pilot, three passengers, and what the company describes as a “content expert.” Before each Titan tour, passengers are briefed on potential risks. Mike Reiss, who took the tour last year, said he had to sign a waiver that he would be held responsible if he died.

According to OceanGate, the Titan is made of titanium and carbon fiber, is 6.7m long, weighs 10,432kg, equivalent to about 6 medium-sized cars and is capable of diving to a depth of 4,000m. The ship uses 4 electric propulsion engines to move and is equipped with a camera, lights and scanners to explore the surrounding environment. Because Titan is not equipped with seats, passengers must sit cross-legged on the floor, monitoring everything around them through digital screens connected to cameras outside. Inside the submarine, there is a rudimentary control system, food and water will be limited. According to The Guardian, OceanGate said that the Titan submersible is specially built, only about half the weight of other types of submersibles or underwater research vessels to easily access and observe the Titanic wreck.

Experts have offered many theories about the cause of Titan's disappearance, from being entangled in Titanic debris to losing power to problems with its communications systems. However, the incident has also raised questions about the design and safety features of the Titan. In an interview with CNN, Doug Virnig, who worked on the Titan project for OceanGate for about a year, said some of the materials and design choices were considered "controversial" when the submersible was built in 2018.

LAM ANH