As rescuers attempt to locate the missing submersible that stopped communicating on Sunday, an expert believes they only have one shot at a successful rescue if they are to be found.
Oxygen levels within the submarine are entering their final 20 hours, as when the sub was sealed shut on Sunday morning, it went took to the depths with an estimated 96 hours of breathable oxygen, via Reuters.
The vessel left the research ship known as Polar Prince at around 10:00AM. Its final communication with the mothership came around an hour and 45 minutes into the journey to the wreckage of the Titanic, which typically takes around two hours.
The US Coast Guard is leading the search for the vessel, known as Titan and operated by OceanGate expeditions.
The missing sub has sparked worldwide intrigue, with aid coming in from across the globe - including the French research ship L’Atalante, which has deep-sea diving equipment onboard.
The next hours of the search are vital, though one expert believes that even if the sub is located, that is only half the problem solved.
Fotis Pagoulatos, a naval architect, has explained to the Wall Street Journal that rescuers will only have one chance to save those onboard and that it will be a highly challenging job.
He said: "You need a ship that can lower a cable to pull the Titan up or have some kind of a claw. Even if they find it, there may not be enough time for the rescue because of the oxygen issue inside.
"Pulling up a vessel the size of a small bus is a complicated operation that takes time, and you only get one chance," Pagoulatos concluded.
There is hope that this type of operation can be pulled off, as the Navy has sent a Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage System, which is a lifting system specifically designed for recovering heavy objects from deep underwater, as reported by Insider.
Another cause for hope is due to "banging" sounds being heard by rescuers, with speculation that this indicates that those on the missing sub are alive.
The banging was reportedly heard in 30-minute intervals, which lasted for over four hours.
The final notification from the missing vessel reportedly told rescuers that its last known location was just above the wreckage of the Titanic.
Since a press conference by the US Coast Guard last night revealed that searches had not yielded any results, these new sounds and specialized equipment is renewing hope that the Titan will be located and saved within the short window that remains.
Those onboard have been named as British billionaire Hamish Harding, businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, alongside the two crew members Stockton Rush, founder and chief executive officer of OceanGate, and French pilot Paul-Henry Nargeolet.
We continue to hope for positive updates about this developing story.
