There's No Guarantee Missing Sub Can Be Rescued Even If It's Found

Photo: JOSEPH PREZIOSO / Contributor (Getty Images)

If you missed the news over the long weekend, the Titan, a submersible operated by OceanGate Expeditions went missing about an hour and 45 minutes after it began its descent. It was part of an eight-day expedition that started in St John’s, Newfoundland for three passengers, a pilot and a “content expert” to view the wreckage from the Titanic. A search for the missing sub is underway, but as it turns out, finding it is only the beginning of the process of saving those on board.

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CNN reports that the missing sub has 96 hours of life support, which means there’s still a chance the passengers and crew are alive. Spending four days in such a small tube probably wouldn’t be pleasant, but at least it’s survivable. The U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Armed Forces are both involved in the search and reportedly still hope to find the Titan in time. They not only have boats searching the surface and using sonar to listen for any signs of the missing sub, but they’ve also launched planes as part of the search.

Unfortunately for those on board, even if they’re located, there’s no guarantee they can still be rescued in time. If they’re on the ocean floor, they’re about two and a half miles underwater, and a rescue is going to be challenging. In a press conference, Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger said that their plan is to first find the Titan. If they do, they’ll then contact the U.S. Navy, Canadian Armed Forces and private parties to figure out what “underwater rescue capability might be available.”

Currently, though, it’s not even clear whether rescuing them is going to be an option. Hopefully, they’re able to locate the Titan quickly, but even if they do, it’s still not looking good.