The world is nervously awaiting any news about the missing submersible Titan, which disappeared on Sunday while taking passengers on a trip to the ocean floor to see the wreck of the Titanic. No theory for what’s happened bodes well: there may have been an explosive decompression, they could be on the surface with no way to contact for help, or damage to the submersible may have left them stranded among Titanic’s wreckage with a dwindling air supply.
A frantic search is underway to determine what happened, with the situation made vastly more complicated by the extreme depths involved. There’s only one other submersible on Earth that might be able to do the job, DSV Limiting Factor. And, in a bizarre twist, Limiting Factor is owned by none other than Valve Software CEO Gabe Newell.
Aside from running Valve and regularly delivering great deals on PC games via Steam, Newell also runs the ocean-exploration research organization Inkfish, which owns and operates the Limiting Factor. The sub is the only vehicle to have reached the deepest point in all five oceans, including the most remote place on Earth, Challenger Deep. It’s also previously visited the Titanic, so we know it could get to the stricken Titan if it’s stranded down there.
Sadly, even if Limiting Factor did reach Titan, it’s unlikely to be able to rescue those on board. There is no feasible way to transfer anyone from one craft to another that depth without destroying both. Even so, simply locating Titan in order to work out what might have happened to it would be useful information and provide some closure to the passengers’ families if the worst has indeed happened.
Here’s hoping Newell is on the case and getting Limiting Factor to the site as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, a pipe-laying ship with an ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicle) is on the scene, so let’s hope for news soon.