Underwater Noises Detected in Search for Missing Submarine

This could be the break that searchers who are frantically working to locate a missing submersible have been hoping for. Early this morning it was reported that Canadian military surveillance equipment had detected underwater noises which could lead searchers to a missing submersible vehicle with five people aboard.

The submersible and its five on board were on a trip to explore the wreckage of the Titanic, a vessel that sank in 1912. The submersible was first reported missing on June 18th. Operators of the Titan, OceanGate Expeditions, said they lost contact with the vehicle about one hour and forty-five minutes into its dive near the Titanic wreck site.

The vessel is reported to have a British-Pakastani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman on board. British Billionaire Hamish Harding, French Explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and Stockton Rush, the founder and CEO of OceanGate are also reported to be on board the vessel as well.

The United States Coast Guard which is assisting in the rescue mission did not elaborate on the Associated Press report on what those searching thought the noises could be. Searchers believe if the vessel is still functioning that there could be less than a day's worth of oxygen onboard. This has added to the urgency of the rescue mission.

It was reported by the Associated Press that an underwater robot was moved to the area where the reported noises were coming from, but as of this report yielded negative results. A source close to the search reportedly said that search teams had been hearing "banging sounds in the area every 30 minutes". This would be consistent with established protocols in place for submersibles that have lost contact with the surface.

Finding the vessel is just one of the many issues rescuers will have to solve. The other is bringing the vessel to the surface. That will have to be done in a very meticulous way considering the submersible could be in the water as deep as 12,500 feet below the surface.

The search for the Titan is ongoing.