the missing submersible on an expedition to view the wreckage of the Titanic neared the critical 96-hour mark Thursday when breathable air is expected to run out, reaching a vital moment in the intense effort to save the five people aboard.The Titan submersible was estimated to have a 96-hour supply of breathable air when it launched Sunday morning in the North Atlantic.
That means the deadline to find and rescue the sub is roughly between 6 a.m. EDT (1000 GMT) and 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT), based on information the U.S.
Coast Guard and company behind the expedition have provided.Experts emphasized that is an imprecise estimate and could be extended if passengers have taken measures to conserve breathable air.
And it’s not known if they survived since the sub disappeared Sunday morning.Frank Owen, a submarine search-and-rescue expert, said the oxygen supply figure is a useful "target" for searchers, but is only based on a "nominal amount of consumption." Owen said the diver on board the Titan would likely be advising passengers to "do anything to reduce your metabolic levels so that you can actually extend this."An undated photo shows tourist submersible belongs to OceanGate begins to descent at a sea. (Photo by Ocean Gate / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Rescuers have rushed more ships and vessels to the site of the disappearance, hoping underwater sounds they detected for a second straight day might help narrow their search in the urgent, international mission.