The Titanic lies miles below the surface of the ocean (Animation: MetaBallStudios)
A gripping animation shows just how deep the missing Titanic submersible could be after it lost contact with the surface on Sunday.
The OceanGate sub was carrying five passengers to the famous wreck that lies 3,800 metres beneath the waves.
Created by Spanish company MetaBallStudios, the animation pans out from the coast to show just how deep the Titanic lies, strategically placing familiar landmarks to give viewers a sense of perspective.
The first is the Statue of Liberty at 93m, a little shallower than the average depth of the North Sea. The statue is followed by the Eiffel Tower at 324m and Dubai’s famous Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
At this point the ocean is so deep the surface can no longer fit in the screen. Other reference points include the average depth of the Atlantic Ocean at 1,205m, and the deepest submarine cable at 1,600m.
The shot continues to descend until reaching the Titanic at around 3,700m – although it is more widely reported to be closer to 3,800m, or 12,500ft.
The ocean pressure around the wreck is around 400 atmospheres – 400 times the pressure at sea level. The maximum recommended depth for a human to dive when not in a vehicle is around 40m. Ahmed Gabr, who also features in the animation, set the world record for deepest dive on record at 332m.
The submersible lost contact an hour and 45 minutes into its descent.
Tim Matlin, who has authored several books and a documentary about the Titanic, fears the missing explorers face extremely slim odds of survival if they hit the seabed.
The OceanGate submersible has five people on board (Picture: PA)
‘It’s really a bit like being an astronaut going into space. I think if it’s on the seabed, there are so few submarines that are capable of going that deep,’ said Mr Matlin.
‘And so, therefore, I think it was going to be almost impossible to effect a sub-to-sub rescue.’
Yesterday an aircraft with sonar buoys detected noise in the area around the site, but the US Coast Guard could not confirm if it was the missing sub.
At least five vessels are now actively involved in searching for the submersible and its passengers, who have less than 24 hours of oxygen left.
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The wreck lies miles below the surface.