During a Wednesday press conference at the U.S. Coast Guard base in Boston, authorities revealed that Canadian search teams detected "banging noises" multiple times in the past two days while searching for the missing Titan submersible. USCG Capt. Jamie Frederick reported that the sounds were initially detected on Tuesday, prompting the immediate deployment of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to the area. The acoustic data has been relayed to U.S. Navy experts for further examination.
While Carl Hartsfield, a retired Navy captain and scientist with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, mentioned the sounds were "described as banging," officials refrained from providing further details. Capt. Frederick emphasized the search is focused on the location of the noises, though their origin remains unknown.
The Bahamian research vessel Deep Energy joined the search effort for the Titan submersible on Tuesday. The Titan carries a crew of five, including British billionaire Hamish Harding, on an expedition to the Titanic wreckage. (U.S. Coast Guard/Cover Images)
The missing OceanGate Titan submersible has five individuals on board: OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, British businessman Hamish Harding, Pakistani father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood from a prominent family, and Paul-Henry Nargeolet, a former French navy officer and renowned Titanic expert.
Capt. Frederick addressed reporters in Boston on Wednesday regarding the search operation for the Titan. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)
According to Capt. Frederick, U.S. and Canadian naval and civilian resources have expanded the search zone to an area twice the size of Connecticut, seeking the 21-foot submersible potentially situated over 3,800 meters below sea level. He confirmed the deployed ROVs have a maximum depth capability of 4,000 meters, and stressed the operation's sole focus remains search and rescue.
Carl Hartsfield from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute provided information on the detected noises during the Coast Guard update in Boston on Wednesday. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
Hamish Harding pictured during the RMS Titanic Expedition Mission 5 on Sunday. (@actionaviation/Twitter)
While the Coast Guard acknowledged earlier reports of "underwater noises" in the area, they did not confirm whether these originated from banging or tapping. The investigation into the source of the sounds continues, with five more surface vessels and additional ROVs slated to join the search by Thursday morning.
The Titan submersible being prepared in the Bahamas. (OceanGate Expeditions)
The Titan disappeared on Sunday during a dive to the Titanic wreck, approximately 900 miles east of Cape Cod. As of 1 p.m. Wednesday, the estimated remaining breathable air supply for the crew was approximately 16 to 17 hours.
