Passengers aboard the missing submersible in the Atlantic Ocean may have less than one day until they run out of oxygen.
According to BBC News, the sub’s breathing air supply is expected to run out Thursday, June 22, at around 6 a.m. ET. The vessel had about 96 hours of oxygen onboard when its dive began on Sunday, the United States Coast Guard officials said, according to CBS.
The Titan, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, was in the area of the Titanic wreckage in the North Atlantic when it disappeared on Sunday, officials said.
At a press conference in Boston on Tuesday, United States Coast Guard Captain Jamie Frederick said search efforts “have not yielded any results.” If the vessel is still intact, time is running out to reach the sub.
The search for the Titan began shortly after they “lost all communication” with Canadian expedition vessel Polar Prince at “approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes” into the dive on Sunday, Frederick said at Tuesday’s press conference. The vessel was attempting to dive to the Titanic wreckage when it vanished.
The Polar Prince conducted an initial search and requested assistance from the Coast Guard after failing to locate the missing vessel. Working with the Canadian Coast Guard, the U.S. Coast Guard in Boston assumed the role of search-and-rescue mission coordinator.
Aboard the submersible were Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, their family and King Charles’ Prince’s Trust International confirmed on Tuesday.
According to ITV and the BBC, OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet and British billionaire Hamish Harding were also aboard.
“Prince’s Trust International has a longstanding relationship with Shahzada Dawood and his family,” DEO Will Straw said in a statement. “We are shocked by this awful news, praying for a rescue and sending our thoughts to his family during this deeply challenging time.”
One of search and rescue crews’ main concerns is getting the proper equipment to the site before the timeline runs out. Frederick said there is “a full court-press effort” to get equipment on the scene as soon as possible.
“We’re talking about very heavy equipment,” the captain explained. “It’s a complicated transport operation, but the best professionals in the world are working it.”
However, the Coast Guard itself does not have the proper equipment to conduct the search, and is relying on other agencies and companies for assistance. It is also a difficult process to get the proper assets to the search area, which is about 900 miles east of Cape Cod and 400 miles south of St. Johns, Newfoundland, Frederick explained.
“This is a very complex search, and the unified team is working around the clock to bring all available assets and expertise to bear as quickly as possible in an effort to solve this very complex problem,” the Coast Guard captain told reporters on Tuesday.
The Coast Guard is “doing everything possible” to locate the Titan, and has engaged in a “constant” search for the missing submersible since they were alerted to the situation, Frederick said.
Multiple agencies are assisting in the search, including the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards, the U.S. Navy, and OceanGate, Frederick said. Several civilian ships have offered their assistance, and numerous private vessels with ROV capabilities are preparing to join the search as well.