Around 4am on Sunday t lost communication with the sub’s mothership MV Polar Prince an hour and 45 minutes into the two hour descent.....it’s now a terrifying race against time.
Former Coast Guardsman John Mixson told Fox News it was an ‘extremely serious and dire situation’, adding: ‘It’s hard to say whenever you just lose total communications in a situation like that what actually happened until you find the vessel.
‘This isn’t a common occurrence at all. Obviously, something very rapid and very tragic took place.’
The Titan subs have no way of directing themselves under water. Instead, they rely on text messages from the mothership, instructing them where to go.
The missing tourist sub is classified as a submersible, not a submarine, because it does not function as an autonomous craft, and relies instead on a support platform.
Last year, a CBS journalist was on the mothership when the sub went off course. It was missing for two-and-a-half hours before it returned but none of those onboard were harmed.
They should have used 2 tether cables....