Red tape hindering equipment getting to Titanic sub search: Nat Geo

The ability to send potentially life-saving technology to locate and retrieve the missing Titan submersible have been delayed by the U.S. Coast Guard since Monday, according to a new National Geographic report.

According to the report, Explorers Club president Richard Garriott de Cayeux says that red tape has tied up offers to deliver working-class ROVs from deep-water firm Magellan to the search since Monday.

Hamish Harding and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, crew members onboard the missing submersible, are Explorers Club members.

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Garriott said the U.S. Navy Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage System may damage Titan and could potentially kill any surviving crew members during the recovery process.

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According to the report, the Magellan Argus-class ROVs are currently located in the United Kingdom and could be delivered to the site within 16 hours.

Those ROVs are outfitted with external arms that can retrieve and raise Titan.

Read the full National Geographic report here.

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