Missing Titanic submarine search intensifies as only few hours of oxygen left

More ships and vessels were rushed by rescuers where a submersible disappeared on its way to the Titanic wreckage site.

Crews were scouring an area twice the size of Connecticut in waters two-and-a-half miles deep, said Captain Jamie Frederick of the First Coast Guard District, who noted that authorities are still holding out hope of saving the five passengers onboard the Titan, according to a report by Associated Press.

The minivan-sized submersible Titan, operated by US-based OceanGate Expeditions, began its descent at 8 am (1200 GMT) on Sunday, losing contact with its support ship near the end of what should have been a two-hour dive to the wreck.

According to the company, the Titan set off with 96 hours of air, so its oxygen tanks would likely be depleted some time on Thursday morning, although precisely when depends on factors such as whether the craft still has power and how calm those on board are, experts say, and assumes the craft is still intact.

Meanwhile, rescue teams and relatives and friends of the Titan's five occupants took hope when a Canadian military surveillance aircraft detected underwater noises as a massive operation searched early Wednesday in a remote part of the North Atlantic for the submersible.

A statement from the US Coast Guard did not elaborate on what rescuers believed the noises could be, though it offered a glimmer of hope for those lost aboard the Titan as estimates suggest as little as a day's worth of oxygen could be left if the vessel is still functioning, PTI reported.

Meanwhile, questions remain about how teams could reach the lost submersible, which could be as deep as about 12,500 feet (3,800 metres) below the surface near the watery tomb of the historic ocean liner.

Newly uncovered allegations also suggest there had been significant warnings made about vessel safety during its development.

Lost aboard the vessel are pilot Stockton Rush, the CEO of the company leading the expedition. His passengers are a British adventurer, two members of a Pakistani business family and a Titanic expert.

(With agencies inputs)

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