JERSEY found itself caught up in a global effort to rescue the missing Titanic submersible yesterday.
Rescue equipment provided by Guernsey-registered deep-sea specialists Magellan was awaiting approval to leave Jersey to join the effort to locate the tourist sub that went missing in the Atlantic over the weekend.
Titan, which was taking passengers to visit the shipwreck of Titanic, lost contact with tour operators on Sunday morning with five people on board, including British billionaire Hamish Harding. The submersible, which had an oxygen supply of up to 96 hours, went missing an hour and a half into its dive and a multinational rescue mission has been launched involving teams from US and Canadian Coast Guard services as well as private vessels. Titan’s air supply is due to run out at around 12pm GMT on Thursday.
Magellan’s remotely operated vehicle, which includes a specialised winch with a 7,000m synthetic rope capable of dragging submersibles from the ocean, was spotted at the New North Quay yesterday.
It was understood that a US military aircraft was due to transport the equipment from Jersey Airport but a Ports of Jersey spokesperson told the JEP yesterday afternoon that this was no longer the case.
Despite reportedly receiving clearance from the Ministry of Defence to leave UK airspace, the American government allegedly failed to authorise the Magellan team’s request to join the rescue operation.
In a statement released yesterday, Magellan said they were ‘100% focused’ on supporting the rescue mission. The company said they were contacted on Monday and ‘immediately offered our knowledge of the specific site and also our expertise operating at depth considerably in advance of what is required for this incident’.
Magellan said: ‘We have been working full-time with UK and US agencies to secure the necessary air support to move our specialist equipment and support crew. We are ready to support, and we are fully mobilised to help.’
The company added: ‘Our thoughts, prayers and hopes remain with those on board the submersible, as well as with their families and loved ones.’
Magellan recently produced the first full-sized digital scan of Titanic, with two of the firm’s submarines putting together 700,000 images of the wreck.
