The international exploration group that digitally mapped the wreck of the Titanic last year is poised to help search for the missing Titan submersible — which disappeared five people aboard during a trip to look at the sunken ship Sunday — but says the US government is holding back their efforts.
Deep-sea surveying company Magellan has said it is standing by with technology to reach 6,000 feet below the water’s surface — 3,000 feet deeper than US Coast Guard [USCG] capabilities.
The offer to help comes as time dwindles for the five passengers aboard the OceanGate Expeditions’ submersible, which had less than 40 hours of oxygen left Tuesday evening.
It was scheduled to explore the wreck 13,000 feet down on the ocean floor, but lost radio contact with its surface ship within two hours of leaving.
Magellan, famous for its previous exploration and digital mapping of the Titanic wreckage, said it was contacted by OceanGate personnel and “immediately” offered its support and expertise, the company said Tuesday.
The group consists of scientists and explorers from around the globe, including UK billionaire Hamish Hamilton, one of the five passengers aboard the missing submersible who serves as a board member for the club.
OceanGate reached out to Magellan early Monday and “instructed us to mobilise and ‘use the means necessary to fly the needed equipment and crew to St. John’s, Newfoundland as soon as possible, stating time is of the essence,’” Magellan said in a statement on its website.
“We have been working full-time with UK and US agencies to secure the necessary air support to move our specialist equipment and support crew. We are ready to support, and we are fully mobilised to help,” the statement continued.
But the Coast Guard (USCG) and the US government have failed to give Magellan the necessary permits to participate, The Explorers Club wrote in a club-wide memo urging members to contact their local lawmakers.
“Every hour of delay could be catastrophic,” the suggested letter to pols reads.
A spokesperson for the USCG did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment Tuesday.
According to the group, Magellan’s remotely operated vehicles can function at depths approximately 3,000-feet greater than those that the USCG brought in. The company also boasts a history working at such great depths and has specific experience with the wreck of the Titanic.
Magellan did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for further comment.
The US Coast Guard is leading the search for the Titan submersible. The vessel, roughly the size of a truck, had descended into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean Sunday morning, and began using its now-precious 96-hour oxygen supply around 6 a.m.
The submersible was only expected to remain underwater for 12 hours Sunday.
The other missing explorers are OceanGate founder and CEO Stockton Rush, Titanic specialist Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Pakistani billionaire and mogul Shanzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Sulaiman.
A ticket for the eight-day trip, which included the deep-sea expeditions, cost $250,000 per person.
The Titanic wreckage is located more than 400 miles from the St. John’s, Newfoundland coast.
The Coast Guard has called in more ships, airplanes and other equipment to aid in the search and rescue mission.
