Titanic tourists could be ‘bobbing about on surface’ of the Atlantic after power failure
The tourists on board the submersible that went missing touring the wreckage of the Titanic could be “bobbing about on the surface” of the Atlantic if there was a power failure, an expert has said.
The Titan vessel carrying five passengers vanished thousands of feet below the ocean after losing contact with tour operators.
It disappeared around 435 miles south of St John’s, Newfoundland on Sunday when when diving deep to tour the wreckage of the famous cruise ship.
But fears are beginning to grow the vessel and the people aboard may not be rescued in time, with the US Coast Guard earlier warning they only have around 40 hours of breathable oxygen remaining.
Alistair Greig, Professor of Marine Engineering at University College London, has been able to provide some “broader observations” based on his experience with submarines.
He said submersibles like the Titan usually have a drop in weight, explaining this is a mass they can often release in the case of an emergency to bring them up to the surface using buoyancy.
The expert said: “If there was a power failure and/or communication failure, this might have happened, and the submersible would then be bobbing about on the surface waiting to be found.
“Submarines are not designed to be on the surface, so it would be mighty uncomfortable for the occupants.”
Professor Greig also outlined another horror scenario where the pressure hull was compromised.
