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The Titan submarine is currently trapped at a depth of 12,500ft underwater, about 370 miles from Newfoundland, Canada. This has become one of the toughest underwater recovery operations ever attempted, and rescue crews face a series of barriers and an incredibly complex mission to retrieve the vessel that is unlike any ever performed before.
The submersible doesn't have the correct mechanisms for transferring the five men aboard to another submarine, so the only chance of saving them is for a sophisticated remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to travel the 12,500ft under water and hook a cable onto the Titanic submersible before reeling it up to the surface where the hatch can be drilled open.
However, even this is a time-consuming task that could take up to a day, and time is something that those aboard the Titan don't have. The clock is ticking down on the number of hours left of oxygen inside the cramped craft. The situation is further complicated by the fact that rescue crews must locate the exact spot where the small vessel is located.
While there are very few ROVs that could reach the same depths of the Titan, the US Navy has one called CURV-21 that can reach a depth of around 20,000ft. Officials are racing to get one to the search site before the oxygen runs out in less than 30 hours. The remotely operated vehicle is tethered to a surface ship with a two-inch cable, allowing the pilot to control it from above using thrusters and relay images from sonar and camera systems.
The US Navy also has a Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage System (FADOSS) that could help lift the heavy load of the submersible above sea level if an ROV found the vessel. The FADOSS was used to successfully salvage a crashed F-35 Joint Strike Fighter from 12,400ft below the South China Sea in early 2022.
The FADOSS, along with remotely operated vehicles and an array of winches, have arrived at St John's airport in Newfoundland, Canada, and are heading towards the location where the Titan is believed to be located. However, with the 15-hour sea journey to the search area, the heavy machinery dubbed the 'last chance' for the crew on the Titan submarine, will arrive perilously close to the time when those on board will run out of air.
The situation is critical, and any rescue mission would take at least 24 hours, and that's once the equipment finally arrives. The success of the mission depends on many factors, including the availability of the ROV, the depth of the vessel, and the precise location of the submersible. The rescue teams must work together to ensure that every possible effort is made to save the five men on board the Titan submarine.
The Titan submarine is a small, privately owned submersible that was on a mission to explore the wreck of the Titanic when it got stuck at a depth of 12,500ft underwater. The submersible is designed for scientific research purposes and is equipped with all the necessary tools and equipment needed for deep-sea exploration.
The rescue operation is complex and challenging due to the depth of the submersible and the limited time available to save the crew. Any rescue mission would require a sophisticated remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to travel to the depths of the ocean, locate the submersible, and attach a cable to it before reeling it up to the surface.
The US Navy's CURV-21 is one of the few ROVs that can reach the same depths as the Titan submarine, but it is a time-consuming task that could take up to a day to complete. The ROV is tethered to a surface ship with a two-inch cable, allowing the pilot to control it from above using thrusters and relay images from sonar and camera systems.
The success of the mission also depends on the precise location of the submersible, which is currently unknown. The search for the submersible is being carried out by a team of experts using advanced sonar technology and other underwater detection methods.
The rescue operation is further complicated by the limited time available to the crew on board the Titan submarine. The submersible has a limited amount of oxygen, and the clock is ticking down on the number of hours left. Any delay in the rescue operation could be fatal for those on board
The situation has attracted global attention, and rescue teams from the US and Canada are working together to ensure that every possible effort is made to save the crew on board the Titan submarine. The success of the mission depends on the availability of the ROV, the precision of the search, and the ability of the rescue teams to work together in a coordinated manner.
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