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The tourist submersible that went down the water with five people to explore the Titanic wreckage has been missing since Sunday.
Certain speculations are being made on what might have happened to the submersible. Senior research scientist Steve Somlyody has stated something might be wrong because there has been no communication or movement.
Speaking to Fox News, Steve mentioned there is a lot of pressure at 4,000 meters and any kind of leak can lead to immediate implosion. When a submarine implodes, the fittings and pipes can lead to intense water pressure hitting the hull.
Search and rescue attempts are being made to discover the water vehicle as soon as possible. Called the Titan, the vehicle is made by OceanGate Expeditions and the charges for each person are $250,000. Titan was designed to be taken to the Titanic wreckage and it aimed to make various dives in one expedition. The wreckage is located 3,800 meters deep in the Atlantic.
The vehicle is around 22 feet in length with a speed of 3 knots or 3.5km per hour. Compared to other water vehicles that remain tethered to the surface, Titan was traveling independently in the water.
Submarine and submersible are different and the former is more powerful
Ever since Titan went missing with five people, people have been calling it a submarine but it is a submersible. The Titan was also created to conduct surveys, research, and film and media production.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration state that a submarine possesses a lot of power to leave a port and return on its own. Meanwhile, a submersible refers to a water vehicle that has less power and can be launched and recovered by a mothership. Submersible is also small in size.
Titan has used modern materials that are not so heavy and affordable. OceanGate states they have specifically used carbon fibre and titanium in making the vessel.
The length of Titan is 6.7 metres with a width of 2.8 metres and a height of 2.5 metres. The weight of the vehicle is 10,432 kg and the payload capacity is around 685 kg. A life support system is also included inside the vessel that can sustain five crew members for 96 hours.
Authorities continue searching for the Titan
The identities of four people inside the vessel have been confirmed so far. This includes 58-year-old businessman and explorer Hamish Harding, 48-year-old businessman Shahzada Dawood, 19-year-old Suleman Dawood, and 77-year-old French explorer Paul-Henry Nargeolet.
US Coast Guard revealed that they lost contact with Titan after it went for the dive in around one hour and 45 minutes. Although authorities are doing everything in their ability to search for the missing vessel, the weather conditions have made things a little bit difficult.
US Coast Guard Rear Adm John Mauger revealed on Tuesday they are searching the deeper waters. The Coast Guard has also sent two C-130 Hercules aircraft to find the vessel alongside a Canadian C-130 and a P8 aircraft.
Canadian coast guard vessel Kopit Hopson is also helping with the search. According to a former US undersecretary of defense, US Navy remote submersibles can only tether with the submarine and bring it back to the surface.
Professor Alistair Greig from University College London says the submersible might be floating on the surface if there has been a power or communication failure.
