Remotely Operated Vehicles Join Subsea Search for Missing Titanic Submersible

The United States Coast Guard says two more remotely operated vehicles have joined the search for a submersible that lost contact with surface vessels on Sunday as it was diving to reach the wreck of the Titanic with five people aboard.

The First Coast Guard District in Boston confirmed this morning on Twitter that the French ROV L’Atalante was being prepared to enter the water about 700 kilometres southeast of Newfoundland.

Meanwhile, the coast guard also confirmed that the Canadian vessel Horizon Arctic had deployed an ROV that reached the ocean floor and was searching for the Titan, a carbon-fibre and titanium submersible operated by U.S.-based OceanGate Expeditions.

The search has intensified as the company has stated that the minivan-size submersible has an air supply that can last four days, which means the supply could run out as of today.

American authorities say “banging sounds” have been detected in the search area, though the cause remains unclear.

Recordings of those sounds, made on Tuesday and Wednesday, have been shared with the U.S. Navy for analysis.