Titanic sub latest updates - oxygen ‘runs out’ as search reaches coastguard deadline

Search still active, says coast guard chief

Rear Admiral John Mauger, of the US Coast Guard, has said the operation to find the missing submersible is “still an active search and rescue”.

Asked whether he believed the oxygen on board would have run out by now, Mr Mauger told Sky News: “We continue to keep the crew members and the families in our thoughts as we proceed with this search and rescue while we’re cognisant of the time and we’ve factored in a lot of data and information into the search.

“This is still an active search and rescue at this point and we’re using the equipment that we have on the bottom right now, the remote operated vehicles to expand our search capability, and then also to provide rescue capability as well.”

Jane Dalton22 June 2023 13:33

Donald Trump Jr baselessly suggests conspiracy in ‘sketchy’ Titanic sub rescue mission

As a search for five tourists believed to be stranded at the bottom of the ocean continued into Thursday, the son of former President Donald Trump is weighing in about the situation.

Mr Trump’s eldest son, Don Jr, commented on Truth Social that the entire situation was “insane and sketchy” and baselessly predicted that “external factors” that had not yet been publicly disclosed were contributing to the inability of rescue teams to find the craft.

“Literally everything I’ve seen about this missing submarine is insane and sketchy AF... almost none of it makes any sense whatsoever. How long till we find other external factors making it even more so???” wrote the ex-president’s eldest son.

John Bowden reports:

Ariana Baio22 June 2023 16:00

Explorer’s Club provides message of hope for passengers on Titan

The Explorer’s Club, a club dedicated to the field of exploration which Hamish Harding and Paul-Henri Nargeolet are members, released a new statement of hope in the search for the missing submersible.

“We remain hopeful for the successful rescue of the five crew members, While the planned life support supply depletes, we believe crew conservation and the near-freezing temperature could prolong life support,” the Explorer’s Club said.

They added that the crew aboard the Titan would be aware of this and exercise “conservation” to save their lives.

The US Coast Guard said they expected oxygen on the submersible to run out by Thursday morning, though they noted that it was not the only factor contributing to their possible rescue.

In addition to their message, the Explorer’s Club said the Magellan remote operated vehicle (ROV) was en route to the search site.

Ariana Baio22 June 2023 15:30

WATCH: Passenger who took 2021 trip to see Titanic says submersible 'was not safe'

Ariana Baio22 June 2023 15:15

Stockton Rush’s wife is descendant of famous couple who died on Titanic

The wife of OceanGate Expeditions CEO Stockton Rush is a descendant of a famous couple that died on the Titanic in 1912.

Wendy Rush is the great-great-granddaughter of Isidor and Ida Straus, two of the wealthiest people who set sail on the Titanic, Mr Straus was a co-owner of Macy’s department store.

The couple is known for their love story which was fictionalised in the 1997 film Titanic directed by James Cameron. According to New York Times, the older couple that holds each other on a bed as water filled their cabin is based on Mr and Ms Straus.

Ms Rush is descended from the daughter of Mr and Ms Straus, Minnie Straus.

At this time, Ms Rush’s husband is currently aboard the missing OceanGate Expeditions submersible, the Titan.

Ariana Baio22 June 2023 15:00

Friends of missing billionaire believe Titanic submarine team could have longer to survive than first thought

Close Friends of those stranded on the missing Titanic tourist submarine are urging the rescue mission to continue, despite the suggestion they have run out of oxygen.

Professor Hannaford, an explorer and the founder of World Extreme Medicine, said that “we should not give up hope” for his friend and the four others on board the Titan, while co-founder of OceanGate Guillermo Sohnlein said: “I continue to hold out hope for my friend [Stockton Rush] and the rest of the crew.”

After US Coast Guard estimated the vessel will have run out of oxygen at 1pm UK time on Thursday, an explorer friend of British billionaire explorer Hamish Harding said he believes several factors mean they could have longer than first thought.

Tara Cobham reports:

Ariana Baio22 June 2023 14:45

Weather conditions improving

The US Coast Guard indicated weather conditions were improving in the area they’re conducting search and rescue efforts for the missing OceanGate Expeditions submersible.

In a tweet, the Coast Guard based in Boston said: “Winds at 14mph with gusts up to 19mph.” They indicated sea swells were anywhere from four to five feet

Yesterday (21 June), the wind was 23mph with gusts up to 30mph with swells of six to seven feet.

The improving weather conditions may make it easier for the aircrafts and sonar systems to detect noises or things in the water.

Ariana Baio22 June 2023 14:15

Explorer ‘uncomfortable with Titan design’ pulled out

An explorer who had a test drive in the Titan sub suffered problems that forced him to pull out.

Josh Gates told Sky News: “Ultimately I backed off from the project because I couldn’t get comfortable with the design of Titan because there was so little data available about managing that risk and what it looked like if this sub went up and down as many times as it was going to.”

Jane Dalton22 June 2023 13:51

Conditions for search and rescue 'favourable’

Rear Admiral John Mauger of the US Coast Guard said the weather was favourable and they had the capabilities to both search for and rescue the missing submersible.

“Conditions for the search and rescue are favourable right now and so we’re making the most of this weather window and the good conditions,” he told Sky News.

“We have aircraft still flying overhead looking for any indications of the submersible on the surface.

“But our focus right now is on the sub-sea search with the new capabilities that we have brought on line.

“We have remote operated vehicles that are working along the path line where the planned dive had taken place for the Titan submersible and we have the ability to both search and rescue.”

Jane Dalton22 June 2023 13:35

Fears for five onboard missing Titanic submarine as 96-hour oxygen cut-off reached

Fears are being raised for the five passengers on board the missing Titanic submersible as their emergency supply of oxygen is believed to have run out.

OceanGate Expeditions’ Titan sub was equipped with enough oxygen to last the five men on board for four days – 96 hours – in the event of an emergency situation.

Based on the timeline given by US Coast Guard officials, this meant rescue teams had until 8am ET, which is 1pm UK time, on Thursday to reach them before the chances of survival ran out.

Rachel Sharp has more.

Holly Evans22 June 2023 13:02