US coast guard: crew on missing Titanic submersible have '40 hours of breathable air' remaining

In a press briefing this afternoon, Captain Jamie Frederick of the US coast guard gave details of the "complex" search and rescue operation now underway to locate the missing submarine. 

One of the last known photographs of the submersible Titan, taken on Sunday, June 18. Picture: Action Aviation via AP

The five people inside a submersible that
went missing during a dive to the wreck of the Titanic have roughly 40 hours of breathable air left, the US Coast Guard said.

In a press briefing this afternoon, Captain Jamie Frederick gave details of the "complex" search and rescue operation now underway to locate the missing submarine. 

"Those search efforts have not yielded any results," he said. 

“We offer our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers for the five crew members, their families and their loved ones."

The submersible tourist vessel, named Titan, lost communication with tour operators on Sunday while about 435 miles south of St John’s, Newfoundland, during a voyage to the Titanic shipwreck off the coast of Canada.

Rescuers are now a race against time to find Mr Harding and four other passengers on board the 6.7 metres-long OceanGate Expeditions vessel.

They are UK-based businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, reportedly together with French submersible pilot Paul-Henry Nargeolet and chief executive and founder of OceanGate Expeditions Stockton Rush.

Via: GraphicNews

Capt Frederick said crews have been "working around the clock to ensure that we are doing everything possible to locate the Titan and the five crew members."

"I want to reiterate 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 a very complex problem."

He estimated that the submersible's crew would have “40 hours of breathable air” remaining at this point. 

He also said that a “unified operations center” was set up on Monday, which is being led by the US coast guard, assisted by the US navy, Canadian armed forces and OceanGate Expeditions.

Also speaking at the briefing, petty officer first class Robert Simpson said weather conditions in the search area - located about 370 miles from the coast of Newfoundland - were improving. 

He wouldn’t be drawn on the crew’s chances of survival, or likelihood of success of any rescue operation, should the submersible be located.