Hoping for a miracle with hours left

Robot joins search for missing Titanic sub as oxygen deadline looms

- Martin Bentham

THE last desperate bid to find the Titanic adventurers was under way today with only a few hours of oxygen left on their submersible.

Underwater robots, including a newly-arrived French craft with arms capable of freeing a trapped vessel, and aircraft were all taking part in the search for the five passengers on board.

But despite lingering hopes of a last-ditch “miracle”, optimism about a successful outcome was starting to fade even before today’s midday deadline — when the Titan submersible’s oxygen was estimated to run out.