Ifremer/CCBY via Reuters
A highly advanced, remote-operated craft operated by a French research team may be the Titan submersible’s last hope for a rescue—as crews race to deliver the vessel with just hours to go before the sub’s oxygen is scheduled to run out.
The Victor 6000 can reach depths much greater than any of the craft currently scouring the Atlantic ocean—up to 20,000 feet, according to Reuters. The unmanned vessel also has the benefit of a moveable arm that can cut metal, which could assist the Titan if it happened to be stuck inside the Titanic wreckage, which sits at close to 12,500 feet below sea level.
It’s not strong enough, however, to tow it to the surface—though the plan shared by authorities includes hooking the Titan to a vessel that can quickly lift it to the ocean’s surface.