Robot sub deployed in search for Titan

A French robot that can dive 6,000 metres underwater could prove crucial in the search for a tourist submersible that vanished as it descended to the Titanic wreck

VICTOR 6000: Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) owned by French oceanic research institute Ifremer

L’Atalante: Research vessel has 25-strong crew who can work non-stop for up to 72 hours

Ballast
Umbilical cable: 8.5km long, provides 20kW of power 
Lighting: Ten powerful lamps
Weight: 4.6 tonnes 
Speed: 1.8km/h 

Robotic arms: Can perform highly delicate manoeuvres such as cutting or removing debris

Video: Two ultra-high resolution video cameras

Once found, Victor could hook Titan to ship using U.S. Navy’s Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage
System (FADOSS), designed to recover objects weighing up to 27.2 tonnes from depths of 6,000 metres

Site of Titanic wreck at depth of 3,800m

3.07m
2.77m

Titan weighs 10.4 tonnes

Objects not to scale


Sources: Ifremer, U.S. Coast Guard
Picture: Newscom © GRAPHIC NEWS