Missing OceanGate Expeditions Titanic sub updates: Navy sends salvage equipment, rescuers hear underwater ‘banging’ noises

The rescuers searching for the missing OceanGate Expeditions sub with five people on board have heard underwater “banging” noises in the search area, some “cause for hope” with limited time left to find the sub that explores the Titanic wreck site.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy on Wednesday was reportedly sending salvage equipment to the North Atlantic Ocean to lift the 20,000-pound sub if it’s found. The Navy’s Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage System can lift up to 60,000 pounds.

The U.S. Coast Guard out of Boston and partner agencies have been desperately searching for the missing 21-foot submersible research vessel.

The sub on Sunday morning lost contact during a dive, about 900 miles east of Cape Cod. Thursday is when the 96-hour oxygen supply is expected to end for the five people on board.

Early Wednesday morning, the Coast Guard shared that some underwater noises have been heard in the remote area of the North Atlantic Ocean.

“Yesterday, the Canadian P-3 (aircraft) detected underwater noises in the search area,” Capt. Jamie Frederick, the First Coast Guard District response coordinator, said during a Wednesday afternoon press conference in Boston.

“As a result, ROV (remotely operated vehicle underwater) operations were relocated in an attempt to explore the origin of the noises,” he added. “Although the ROV searches have yielded negative results, they continue.”

Also, the data from the P-3 aircraft has been shared with U.S. Navy experts for further analysis — which will be considered in future search plans, Frederick said.

The underwater noises could be people on board knocking on the sub to communicate with rescuers, according to experts.

“The noises have been described as banging noises,” said Carl Hartsfield, of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Frederick was asked at the press conference about the noises.

“We don’t know what they are, to be frank with you,” he told reporters about the noises.

“The good news is, what I can tell you, is we’re searching in the area where the noises were detected and we’ll continue to do so,” Frederick said.