Coast Guard releases map with areas of ‘completed searches’ for missing Titanic sub

The US Coast Guard has released images of the search area currently being scoured for the missing Titan submarine.

The rather confusing image was shared on social media as the hours tick down and hope dwindles for the five people on board the vanished OceanGate vessel.

The Coast Guard shared the update on Twitter, writing: "A Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City HC-130 Hercules fixed-wing aircraft conducted a search Wednesday afternoon, spanning 879 miles over the search area."

"Aircraft from partner agencies are also scheduled to search," they added.

As of now, these are the completed searches for the Titan, a 21-foot submersible from the Polar Prince, as of Wednesday afternoon.#Titanic pic.twitter.com/alpYBFA8kQ

— USCGNortheast (@USCGNortheast) June 21, 2023

Alongside their tweet updating social media users on their search, the US Coast Guard also shared a map that detailed where they have already scoured for the missing submarine.

"As of now, these are the completed searches for the Titan, a 21-foot submersible from the Polar Prince, as of Wednesday afternoon," they wrote.

The image they shared was confusing, to say the least, with many Twitter users asking for more information so they could comprehend what they were looking at.

One social media user wrote: "The hell am I looking at here."

Another said: "So anybody gonna make sense of this or are we just gonna ignore the fact this means just as much as a children’s drawing on the fridge?"

While a third added: "It would be helpful if that graph was explained a bit, please."

A fourth went on to question: "What does the big red 'x' mean?"

Could you put some context around this so that we can understand what it means?

— PoshPanda🐼 (@PoshPenguin3) June 21, 2023

While social media users called for answers from the US Coast Guard, search and rescue teams are currently rushing to locate the vanished vessel as air supply for those on board begins to exhaust.

The people onboard the missing Titan submersible have less than 24 hours' worth of oxygen supply.

A former commander for the US Navy has said the missing crew onboard the Titan submersible now have just a ‘one per cent chance of survival’.

The vessel, which is owned by OceanGate Expeditions, disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday while taking tourists out to visit the wreckage of the Titanic.

What does big red ❌mean?

— mayo (@majewswo) June 21, 2023

There are five people onboard the vessel, which is used to descend approximately 12,500ft below the surface of the ocean to explore the wreck of the Titanic as part of an eight-day trip run by tour firm OceanGate.

The five people confirmed onboard are British billionaire Hamish Harding; French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet; Shahzada Dawood and his son Sulaiman; and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.

The expedition package costs USD$250,000 per person, and those taking part must sign a waiver first.