A submersible vessel carrying five people went missing in the North Atlantic on Sunday, prompting a search and rescue effort. The Titan underwater vehicle owned by OceanGate Expeditions was exploring the wreck of the Titanic when it lost contact with a research vessel on the surface. The missing people likely had enough oxygen to survive for three to four days, Rear Adm. John Mauger, who led the Coast Guard’s search operation, to reporters.
But the remote location and depth of the Titanic site, combined with debris in the area, could hamper rescue efforts. People could not survive without oxygen at the depth of the Titanic, said Andrew Norris, a retired Coast Guard captain, adding that he did not believe a rescue ship could reach that depth.