Shillong, June 21: Rescue teams are racing against time in the Atlantic Ocean to locate a submarine that vanished while transporting tourists to view the remains of the Titanic, according to US government officials.
Sonar devices have detected “banging sounds” occurring every 30 minutes beneath the water, prompting the installation of additional sonars. However, the exact timing and duration of these sounds remain unclear.
During the search, a Canadian P-8 aircraft reported hearing banging sounds every 30 minutes in the designated area. On Tuesday night, further sounds were detected, although they were not specifically characterized as “banging.”
The US Coast Guard is leading the search for the missing research submersible called Titan, which disappeared on June 18th. The submarine carried a crew of five, including the pilot and four mission specialists.
Coast guard teams from the US and Canada are combing the ocean’s surface approximately 900 miles (1,450 kilometers) east of Cape Cod. Using sonar technology, they are listening for underwater sounds in an area that reaches depths of up to 13,000 feet.
Captain Jamie Frederick of the US Coast Guard emphasized that the rescue operation is exceptionally challenging and goes beyond the scope of a typical coast guard mission.