Five people aboard a missing submersible near the wreck of the Titanic have just hours left of their presumed air supply on Thursday, the fifth day of a massive multinational search across thousands of square miles in the remote North Atlantic, Reuters is reporting.
According to the company, the submersible began its expedition on Sunday at 8am (1200 GMT) but lost contact with its support ship near the end of what should have been a two-hour dive to the century-old shipwreck.
Having set off with 96 hours of life support, officials fear the craft’s oxygen supply could run out on Thursday morning. They considered factors such as whether the craft still has power and how calm those on board are.
A US coast guard spokesperson said the oxygen supply is expected to run out by 1pm UK time on Thursday.
The status of the five passengers aboard the ill-fated trip remains unclear as US and Canadian officials work around the clock to attempt to locate the missing Titan sub 900 miles east of Cape Cod.
CNN reports that medical personnel and search vessels with extra capabilities headed to the scene on Thursday, with time running out. A remotely operated vehicle deployed from a Canadian vessel had reached the ocean floor and begun searching there for the Titan, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Thursday morning on Twitter.
