'There's no way to escape': Missing tourist sub locked with bolts from outside
The missing Titan submersible is locked from the outside, meaning passengers couldn't escape even if the vessel reached the surface.
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The submersible that went missing during a voyage to the Titanic shipwreck is "locked from the outside", giving those inside little hope of escaping, according to a former passenger.
OceanGate's Titan submersible went missing on Sunday, about 435 miles south of St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, sparking a major search and rescue operation by US and Canadian crews.
Pressure on rescuers is mounting, as reports suggest the submersible, which is carrying a British billionaire adventurer, has enough oxygen to last underwater until 12pm (UK time) on Thursday.
It is hoped that if the vessel has reached the surface, it will be easier for rescuers to spot, but even this wouldn't guarantee the passengers' survival.
Read more: Titanic tourist sub missing - Live: 'No way to escape' from vessel, warns former passenger
David Pogue, a CBS reporter who travelled on the Titan last summer, told the BBC: "There's no way to escape, even if you rise to the surface by yourself.
"You cannot get out of the sub without a crew on the outside letting you out."
He added that there is "no way" for crew on land to communicate with those inside the submersible as neither GPS nor radio "work underwater".
If a support ship is directly over the vessel, short text messages can be sent directly back and forth, he said, but clearly that is not happening, with no sign of where the submersible has gone.
Among the five people on board is British billionaire adventurer and private jet dealer Hamish Harding. He is chairman of private plane firm Action Aviation, which said he is one of the mission specialists on board.
Read more: Inside cramped Titan submersible missing during voyage to Titanic shipwreck
French submersible pilot, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and chief executive of OceanGate Expeditions, Stockton Rush, according to Sky News.
Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman, have been named as two of the other people on the submersible in a family statement obtained by CNN.
They said: “As of now, contact has been lost with their submersible craft and there is limited information available.
“We are very grateful for the concern being shown by our colleagues and friends and would like to request everyone to pray for their safety while granting the family privacy at this time.
"The family is well looked after and are praying to Allah for the safe return of their family members.”
Rear Admiral John W Mauger of the US Coast Guard said they are doing “everything” they can to find the submersible.
Read more: UK tycoon missing on Titanic sub is adventure addict
Speaking on Monday, he said: “We anticipate that there’s somewhere between 70 to the full 96 hours at this point. It is a remote area and a challenge, but we are deploying all available assets.”
Mark Butler, managing director of Action Aviation, said: “There is still plenty of time to facilitate a rescue mission, there is equipment on board for survival in this event. We’re all hoping and praying he comes back safe and sound.”
Mr Harding holds three Guinness World Records, including the longest duration at full ocean depth by a crewed vessel when he and Victor Vescovo dived to the lowest depth of the Mariana Trench in March 2021.
In June 2022, Mr Harding went into space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. His cousin, Kathleen Cosnett, described him as "daring and inquisitive", telling the Daily Telegraph she was "devastated" to learn he was missing.
The Explorers' Club, of which Mr Harding is a founding member, shared news of his disappearance on Instagram, with club president saying the adventurer's excitement about the expedition was "palpable".
“I know he was looking forward to conducting research at the site. We all join in the fervent hope that the submersible is located as quickly as possible and the crew is safe," he added.
In a statement, OceanGate Expeditions said: “We are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to re-establish contact with the submersible. We are working toward the safe return of the crew members.”
Read more: Missing Titanic submersible: everything we know so far
A court document filed by the US company in April states that the Titan, can dive to 13,120ft “with a comfortable safety margin”.
Titan weighs 10,432 kg, is made of “titanium and filament wound carbon fibre” and has proven to “withstand the enormous pressures of the deep ocean”.
Before it went missing, it was taking part in OceanGate’s third annual voyage to the monitor the decay of the Titanic, which sunk on its maiden voyage in 1912.
