Grim Update In Titanic Exploration Sub Search

The missing submersible that vanished during its mission to explore the wreckage of the Titanic is now suspected to have run out of oxygen, though authorities are continuing their search operation, the New York Times reports.

OceanGate Expeditions' 'Titan' sub was reported to only have 96 hours of oxygen and exceeded that total as of 7:08 a.m. ET on Thursday (June 22). Five people were reported to be onboard a submersible and later identified as Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions; French diver Paul-Henri Nargeloet; British billionaire Hamish Harding, the owner and chairman of Action Aviation; Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman Dawood.

The Coast Guard confirmed that a remote-operated vehicle used in the search had "reached the sea floor" and looking for the vessel.

“The French vessel L’Atalante is preparing their ROV to enter the water,” the Coast Guard added via the New York Post.

On Wednesday (June 21), a reported "banging" sound in the search for the missing submersible led to a "cause for hope," according to Richard Garriott, president of The Explorers Club.

A Canadian airplane aiding in rescue efforts for the submersible that disappeared while on a mission to explore wreckage of the Titanic reportedly detected "banging" in 30-minute intervals in the last area in which the vessel was reported to be when it lost radio contact with its surface ship, according to internal emails sent by the Department of Homeland Security's National Operations Center obtained by Rolling Stone.

“RCC Halifax launched a P8, Poseidon, which has underwater detection capabilities from the air,” the DHS e-mails read. “The P8 deployed sonobuoys, which reported a contact in a position close to the distress position. The P8 heard banging sounds in the area every 30 minutes. Four hours later, additional sonar was deployed and banging was still heard.”

The submersible -- which differs from a submarine as it relies on outside support, rather than renewing its own power and breathing air -- offered passengers an up-close experience to explore the Titanic wreckage in the Atlantic Ocean for $250,000 and was only the third mission hosted by OceanGate Expeditions since initially being offered in 2021.

The sub was reported to have less than 40 hours of oxygen remaining during an update on Tuesday (June 20).