WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Mark Martin is an offshore manager and salvage master who is no stranger to the open water. It started with his career in the Navy aboard submarines and continued after he retired.
"Now I specialize in doing deep ocean salvage for the last 15 years," Martin said.
That includes work with commercial submersibles, it's that expertise that offers him insight into the search for the missing OceanGate Expeditions submersible named Titan.
It's carrying five people on the trip of a lifetime to survey the wreckage of the Titanic.
Titan disappeared Sunday after losing contact with its partner research vehicle. It launched with a 96-hour supply of oxygen
As of Monday afternoon, U.S. Coast Guard officials confirmed the submersible vessel has less than 40 hours of oxygen left.
"You need to be fully aware of the risks that you're taking," Martin added. "As far as I can tell, the people that were involved were."
Among those onboard are Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, who is also a friend of Martin.
Scripps News
NASA helped make the Titanic submersible that is now missing
"The fact that Stockton was willing to make the dive himself, and he frequently did, probably instilled some confidence in the majority of the people who pay to go on those trips," Martin said.
Among those onboard are Hamish Harding, the billionaire owner of Action Aviation, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman, reported NBC News. One other person is also onboard but has yet to be identified.
Martin said with a daunting search and rescue ongoing he's preparing himself for every outcome.
"I don't see any scenario in which we can get the required equipment to bring them off the bottom before their life-support runs out," Martin said. "It's a sad fact. I know nobody really wants to think that. Everybody wants to hope the best, but … barring a miracle, this is a recovery operation."
