Timeline of race to find missing Titan submersible

Five people aboard the sub lost their lives

Rear Admiral John Mauger speaks during a press conference about the search for the missing submersible. Reuters

Follow the latest news on the missing Titanic sub here

Five people lost their lives aboard a submersible visiting the wreck of the Titanic, US Coast Guard officials said on Thursday, pointing to the catastrophic loss of the vessel's pressure chamber as the cause.

The announcement brings to an end a frantic, four-day international search and rescue mission for the Titan submersible.

Here is a timeline of events since the start of the trip:

Friday

Expedition sets off from St John's, Newfoundland, Canada.

Saturday

Saturday evening, British billionaire and adventurer Hamish Harding, one of those aboard the submersible, posts on Facebook: “Due to the worst winter in Newfoundland in 40 years, this mission is likely to be the first and only manned mission to the Titanic in 2023.

“A weather window has just opened up and we are going to attempt a dive tomorrow.”

“More expedition updates to follow IF the weather holds!”

He does not post again.

Sunday

8am GMT – This is the time the submersible originally aimed to start its descent, according to a post by Mr Harding on Instagram. But it started its descent later, according to the US Coast Guard.

12pm – The Titan submersible starts what should be a two-hour descent to the Titanic wreck, which lies at a depth of 3,810 metres in the North Atlantic Ocean.

1.45pm – Communications between the submersible and the surface vessel are lost an hour and 45 minutes after starting its descent.

7pm – The submersible is scheduled to return to the surface but fails to appear.

9.40 – The US Coast Guard receives report about an overdue submersible from the Canadian Research Vessel Polar Prince.

Monday

US and Canadian ships and planes swarm the area, some dropping sonobuoys that can monitor to a depth of 3,962 metres, US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger says.

He adds it is a remote area and a challenge to conduct a search. Officials also ask commercial vessels for help.

No survivors on missing Titanic submersible as vessel believed to have been destroyed – video

Tuesday

The family of Pakistani-born businessman Shahzada Dawood confirm on Tuesday morning that he is aboard with his 19-year-old son Suleman. They ask for prayers for their safety.

2.50pm GMT- France says it will help with search by deploying Atalante, a ship equipped with a deep-sea diving vessel and managed by the Ifremer ocean research institute.

During the day – Sounds are detected over several hours by Canadian Lockheed P-3 Orion aircraft, equipped with gear to trace submarines. The US Coast Guard – which announces this on Wednesday – does not give a precise time.

CNN and Rolling Stone magazine report Canadian aircraft detected banging sounds at 30-minute intervals.

Rolling Stone says sonar picks up more banging four hours later.

CNN also reports sounds were heard later but does not describe them as banging.

Mr Harding's friend, Jannicke Mikkelsen, says: “And as it stands right now, it would be a miracle if they are recovered alive.”

Wednesday

During the day – The US Coast Guard, US Navy, Canadian Coast Guard and OceanGate Expeditions establish a unified command to handle the search.

6.00am GMT – US Coast Guard announces Canadian P-3 aircraft detected underwater noises. It says remotely operated vehicle (ROV) searches are directed to the area of the sounds and the data are also sent to US Navy experts for analysis.

Late on Wednesday – A French research ship, equipped with a deep-sea diving vessel, is expected to arrive at the search area.

Thursday

10.00am GMT – The rough deadline for when the air in the submersible will run out, based on the US Coast Guard's estimate.

The vessel has 96 hours of air supply from the time it is sealed, according to its specifications.

This depends on the vessel being intact and other factors, such as whether the sub still has power in the icy depths.

6.00pm – A debris field found near the wreckage of the Titanic in the North Atlantic contains pieces of the Titan submersible, officials say.

7.00pm – The US Coast Guard says the debris was consistent with loss of the pressure chamber and an implosion.

There were no survivors.