Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr has questioned whether the missing Titan vessel should have ventured into the ocean’s depths in the first place.
The vessel went missing on Monday during its descent to the Titanic wreckage in the North Atlantic, with five people on board.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Expert says Titanic submersible rescue is still possible but time is running out.
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Rescue teams are desperately searching for the vessel as it enters its final 24 hours of oxygen supply.
However, Barr asked retired United States Navy submarine commander David Marquet bluntly on Sunrise on Thursday if it was wise to have attempted the descent to the shipwreck, which is located 3.8km below sea level, in the Titan vessel considering its limitations.
“We are still hearing all the things people are saying about why they should not have gone. The passenger window was only certified to go half the depth that it went,” she said.
“Should they be there in the first place?”
Marquet seemed stunned at the questions and paused for a moment before answering.
“They are adults, and they made a decision. It’s hard to question the judgement,” he replied.
“The CEO of the company is on this ship, so he obviously believes in the equipment.
“Knowing what I know, what it takes to keep nuclear submarines running, you would not be finding me on that ship, but it’s easy after-the-fact to find criticism.”
Marquet added he appreciated people who pushed “the envelope in terms of exploring and innovation” but added that “sometimes they push a little too far”.
Meanwhile, rescuers searching for the submersible are now concentrating their efforts on a remote area of the North Atlantic where a series of undersea noises have been detected.
The submersible had 96 hours of air, according to the company’s specifications, which the US Coast Guard says now gives them less than 24 hours of air remaining.
The Coast Guard said remotely operated vehicle (ROV) searches were deployed in the area where Canadian aircraft recorded the noises using sonar buoys on Tuesday and Wednesday.
US coast guard captain Jamie Frederick said analysis of the noises has been “inconclusive”.
“We don’t know what they are, to be frank with you,” he said.
“We’re searching in the area where the noises were detected.”
Even if the submersible is located, retrieving it presents huge logistical challenges given the extreme conditions kilometres below the surface.
Teams from the United States, Canada and France have searched more than 25,900sqkm of open sea, an area roughly the size of Lebanon.
The 6.7m submersible Titan, operated by US-based OceanGate Expeditions, began its descent at 8am on Sunday.
It lost contact with its parent surface vessel during what should have been a two-hour dive to the Titanic.
Those aboard the submersible, a tourist adventure that costs $US250,000 ($A367,000) per person, include British billionaire and adventurer Hamish Harding, 58, and Pakistani-born businessman Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son Suleman, who are both British citizens.
French explorer Nargeolet, and OceanGate Expeditions founder and chief executive Stockton Rush were also reported to be on board.
– With Reuters
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