TechnipFMC’s deepsea vessel earlier this week joined the search and rescue operation for the missing Titanic tourist submarine.
The submarine, which was en route to the Titanic wreckage, went missing with five people onboard. The US Coast Guard and Navy are working around the clock in this complex operation to locate the submarine.
“We are working closely with and under the direction of the United States Coast Guard, who are leading the effort and will provide further information as it is available,” the TechnipFMC spokesperson said.
According to the information provided on its website, the Deep Energy vessel, which has been in service for around a decade, has the capability to install various types of pipes and umbilicals at depths of approximately 9,800 feet. It is equipped with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and offers additional features such as a maximum speed of 19.5 knots, as well as cranage and deck winches.
Underwater noises have been detected in the search area for the submarine. The noises were picked up by Canadian P-3 aircraft, prompting a relocation of underwater operations to find the origin of the sounds. While no results have been yielded yet, the underwater operations are ongoing. The data from the P-3 aircraft has been shared with US Navy experts for further analysis and will be considered in future search plans.
The missing submarine has sparked international attention and concern. The submersible had less than 40 hours of breathable air left as of Tuesday evening, according to the Coast Guard. The vessel had about 96 hours of oxygen onboard when its dive began. However, the transition from a search-and-rescue mission to a recovery operation will not be immediate once those hours are up, as several factors could extend the search.