Remote-operated vehicle reaches sea floor as frantic search for Titanic sub hits critical stage
By Isabel Keane
June 22, 2023 9:14am
The US Coast Guard said a remote-operated vehicle “reached the sea floor” and began searching for the missing Titanic submersible early Thursday — even though the officials believe the sub has likely run out of oxygen.
“The Canadian vessel Horizon Arctic has deployed an ROV that has reached the sea floor and began its search for the missing sub,” the agency said.
It added that “The French vessel L’Atalante is preparing their ROV to enter the water.”
The accelerating search efforts continued Thursday even as the sub likely ran out of oxygen, by officials’ calculations, at about 7:08 a.m.
When it took off Sunday, the sub carried 96 hours of oxygen for the crew of five, though experts have cautioned that their initial estimates may be inexact.
The US Coast Guard said a remote-operated vehicle “has reached the sea floor” and began searching for the missing Titanic submersible early Thursday.
Rear Adm. John Mauger of the US Coast Guard told the “Today” show the search efforts would continue at full force throughout the day as the Magellan “working class” remotely operated vehicle joins the search.
The vehicle, or ROV, has advanced capabilities that include a manipulator arm capable of lifting a hull point to the surface of the water, NBC reported, citing a prior interview with Explorers Club president Richard Garriott, who criticized the Coast Guard for not utilizing the Magellan ROV sooner.
Responding to that criticism, Mauger noted: “We really had to start from scratch and bring all the capability that was available to bear on this problem.”
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https://nypost.com/2023/06/22/remote-operated-vehicle-reaches-sea-floor-amid-search-for-titanic-sub/