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What is it like on the Titan?
Joneé Lewis reports
TAMPA, Fla. - Rescuers are in an urgent search for a submersible that disappeared on its way to the Titanic wreckage site Sunday.
Authorities are still holding out hope of saving the five passengers onboard the Titan. The 5-person submersible has a 96-hour oxygen supply. As that supply has continued to dwindle since Sunday, officials say there’s another threat for passengers.
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"Everybody's worried about the oxygen. The oxygen, the oxygen. In reality, you know, carbon dioxide is a very big and real problem in a small space like that with that many people," Roger Garcia, FIU's aquarius operations director said.
Garcia says if the sub loses the ability to remove carbon dioxide, it could cause physical consequences for those passengers inside.
"The human body is going to react with symptoms such as starting off with a headache, might get dizzy, lightheaded. Some of your cognitive function may start to deteriorate a little bit on your respirations, your heartbeat starts to pick up, which then that just compounds the production of CO2," Garcia said.
The lost submersible could be as deep as about 12,500 feet. Rescuers say more ships and vessels were sent to the area where it disappeared.