Head of Titanic sub search says team still in dark over mysterious ‘banging’
The head of the Titanic submarine search spoke about the regular “banging” noise detected on Tuesday by rescue workers. Rear Admiral John Mauger, who is leading the search for the Titan submersible, finally gave official confirmation the noise was heard.
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However, he added, they “don’t know the source of that noise”, but have shared the data with the US Navy.
Mr Mauger said: “The data from the P-3 aircraft has been shared with our US Navy experts for further analysis which will be considered in future search plans.”
The US Coast Guard official explained during an interview with US broadcaster CBS there are a lot of metal objects at the site where the search is being carried out, which is why it is so important to find navy experts who understand the science behind that noise.
Nevertheless, the noise is now a “target”, he said, adding: “It’s a target, it’s a focus for us to look at.”
The search is “incredibly complex”, he explained, as rescuers face several challenges caused by the depth of the ocean and wide area of search while they also need to act quickly before the oxygen supply on board the Titan vessel runs out.
The official added this won’t sway the determination of those involved in the search operation, saying they will continue to work and bring every resource to bear on the search “as long as there’s an opportunity for survival”.
The Titan submersible can carry a total of 96 hours worth of oxygen supply for five people, which means the explorers in the vessel are likely to run out of breathable air by Thursday morning.
News of the noise, reported in the early hours of Wednesday, raised the hopes of many, including submarine search and rescue expert Frank Owen, for the chances of survival of the crewmembers.
Mr Owen told the BBC his “confidence went up by an order of magnitude” when he heard reports of banging being detected.
Referring to French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, believed to be one of the passengers aboard the Titan, he explained: “There’s a couple of reasons for that. Firstly, on board this craft is a retired French navy diver. He would know the protocol for trying to alert searching forces… on the hour and the half hour you bang like hell for three minutes.”
Moreover, the sound signal being picked by a buoy close to the surface of the ocean may suggest the submersible is near or at the surface.
This would make locating and rescuing the vessel much easier than if it was near the seabed.
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