Search and rescue officials are racing against the clock to find the missing Titan submersible.
A five-man crew that went to tour the Titanic wreckage in the north Atlantic Ocean was reported missing on Sunday. The OceanGate-owned Titan submersible had 96 hours of available oxygen, and it's been estimated that the supply could run out by Thursday morning.
The search has been described by U.S. Coast Guard officials as a challenging one. The Titanic wreckage is roughly 370 miles south of Newfoundland, Canada, and 900 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. In addition to being far away from land, the wreckage site is also 12,500 feet below the ocean's surface.
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With a lot of area to cover both at and below the ocean's surface, several different resources are being put to use to aid the search efforts, and that includes the deployment of ROVs.
What is an ROV and why it is used in the ocean?
An ROV is a remotely operated vehicle that can travel deep into the ocean's depths without a person needing to go with it.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration explains that an ROV is typically operated by someone on a surface vessel using a video game-like joystick. The surface vessel and ROV are connected by cables, allowing for the transmission of electronic signals. An ROV can be anywhere from the size of a computer to a small truck.
What does an ROV do?
According to the NOAA, most ROVs feature a still camera, video camera and lights to send real-time images back to the surface vessel. They are mainly used in place of human-operated submersibles or human divers as a simpler and safer means to explore very deep areas of the ocean. ROVs were initially used for industrial purposes but now they are mostly deployed in the science field.
Officials said two ROVs were part of Wednesday's search efforts and more devices were expected to arrive on Thursday morning.
What is the difference between an ROV and a submersible?
An ROV is actually a type of submersible. The missing Titan submersible is a human-operated vehicle (HOV) that can travel to depths of 13,000-plus feet and has an oxygen supply of 96 hours for a five-person crew, according to OceanGate.
How long can an ROV stay underwater?
An ROV can remain underwater for several days, per the NOAA. The average dive length, however, is eight hours, according to the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
How deep underwater can an ROV go?
The NOAA says ROVs can be designed to reach different kinds of depths, with some being able to venture into the deepest parts of the ocean at 36,000-plus feet.
What is an example of an ROV?
The Schmidt Ocean Institute owns a massive ROV called "SuBastian." It's the size of a minivan, can travel to depths of 14,700-plus feet and has a maximum speed of three knots.
What is the difference between an ROV and AUV?
An AUV, or autonomous underwater vehicle, is a submersible that can venture throughout the ocean without real-time human operation, the NOAA explains. AUVs are programmed to travel a certain route and they collect high-resolution sensor data.
