Titanic mapping firm ‘fully mobilized to help’ sub rescue, but claims US Coast Guard dragging its feet
The international exploration group that digitally mapped the wreck of the Titanic last year is poised to help search for the missing Titan submersible — which disappeared five people aboard during a trip to look at the sunken ship Sunday — but says the US government is holding back their efforts.
Deep-sea surveying company Magellan has said it is standing by with technology to reach 6,000 meters below the water’s surface — 3,000 meters deeper than US Coast Guard [USCG] capabilities.
The offer to help comes as time dwindles for the five passengers aboard the OceanGate Expeditions’ submersible, which had less than 40 hours of oxygen left Tuesday evening.
It was scheduled to explore the wreck 13,000 feet down on the ocean floor but lost radio contact with its surface ship within two hours of leaving.
Magellan, famous for its previous exploration and digital mapping of the Titanic wreckage, said it was contacted by OceanGate personnel and “immediately” offered its support and expertise, the company said Tuesday.
The group consists of scientists and explorers from around the globe, including UK billionaire Hamish Hamilton, one of the five passengers aboard the missing submersible who serves as a board member for the club.
OceanGate reached out to Magellan early Monday and “instructed us to mobilise and ‘use the means necessary to fly the needed equipment and crew to St. John’s, Newfoundland as soon as possible, stating time is of the essence,’” Magellan said in a statement on its website.
Tourist submersible exploring Titanic wreckage disappears in Atlantic Ocean
What we know
A submersible on a pricey tourist expedition to the Titanic shipwreck in the Atlantic Ocean has vanished with likely only four days’ worth of oxygen. The US Coast Guard said the small submarine began its journey underwater with five passengers Sunday morning, and the Canadian research vessel that it was working with lost contact with the crew about an hour and 45 minutes into the dive.
It was later found that a top-secret team with the US Navy detected the implosion of the Titan submersible on Sunday, but did not stop search efforts due because the evidence was “not definitive” and a decision was made to “make every effort to save the lives on board.”
Who was on board?
The family of world explorer Hamish Harding confirmed on Facebook that he was among the five traveling in the missing submarine. Harding, a British businessman who previously paid for a space ride aboard the Blue Origin rocket last year, shared a photo of himself on Sunday signing a banner for OceanGate’s latest voyage to the shipwreck.
Also onboard were Pakistani energy and tech mogul Shanzada Dawood and his son Sulaiman, 19; famed French diver and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and OceanGate founder and CEO Stockton Rush.
- Missing Titanic sub live updates
- Debris discovered near Titanic site during frantic search for missing crew on OceanGate sub
- Daughter of missing Titanic diver remains hopeful: ‘I think we have to trust’ search crews
- Titanic tourist Hamish Harding’s family slams OceanGate for delay in reporting missing sub
- Coast Guard knew Titan sub imploded Sunday, but continued search anyway — here’s why
What’s next?
“We’re doing everything we can do to locate the submersible and rescue those on board,” Rear Adm. John Mauger told reporters. “In terms of the hours, we understood that was 96 hours of emergency capability from the operator.
Coast Guard officials said they are currently focusing all their efforts on locating the sub first before deploying any vessel capable of reaching as far below as 12,500 feet where the Titanic wreck is located.
Mauger, first district commander and leader of the search-and-rescue mission, said the US was coordinating with Canada on the operation.
The debris recovered from the US Coast Guard’s Titan submersible search site early Thursday included “a landing frame and a rear cover from the submersible.”
After search efforts to recover the stranded passengers proved futile, and bits of debris from the submersible were found, it was decided that the sub imploded, which correlated with an anomaly picked up by the US Navy in the same area.
The Coast Guard later reported that all 5 passengers were confirmed dead, and rescue efforts were halted.
“We have been working full-time with UK and US agencies to secure the necessary air support to move our specialist equipment and support crew. We are ready to support, and we are fully mobilised to help,” the statement continued.
But the Coast Guard (USCG) and the US government have failed to give Magellan the necessary permits to participate, The Explorers Club wrote in a club-wide memo urging members to contact their local lawmakers.
“Every hour of delay could be catastrophic,” the suggested letter to pols reads.
A spokesperson for the USCG did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment Tuesday.
According to the group, Magellan’s remotely operated vehicles can function at depths approximately 3,000 meters greater than those that the USCG brought in. The company also boasts a history of working at such great depths and has specific experience with the wreck of the Titanic.
Magellan did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for further comment.
The US Coast Guard is leading the search for the Titan submersible. The vessel, roughly the size of a truck, had descended into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean Sunday morning and began using its now-precious 96-hour oxygen supply around 6 a.m.
The submersible was only expected to remain underwater for 12 hours Sunday.
The other missing explorers are OceanGate founder and CEO Stockton Rush, Titanic specialist Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Pakistani billionaire and mogul Shanzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Sulaiman.
A ticket for the eight-day trip, which included the deep-sea expeditions, cost $250,000 per person.
The Titanic wreckage is located more than 400 miles from the St. John’s, Newfoundland coast.
Follow the Post’s live updates of the Titanic sub disaster
The Coast Guard has called in more ships, airplanes, and other equipment to aid in the search and rescue mission.
Although OceanGate previously completed expeditions in 2022 and 2021, concerns over issues of “quality control and safety” that could affect customers were raised as far back as 2018.
