'Debris field' discovered in area near Titanic amid search for missing OceanGate sub: Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday a "debris field" was discovered by a robot searching for the missing submersible vessel near the Titanic wreck. 

The missing OceanGate submersible had been underwater with five passengers for more than 96 hours as of Thursday morning, putting it at the point where experts have speculated it would run out of oxygen.

The Coast Guard said a press briefing will be held on the debris field at 3 p.m.

"A debris field was discovered within the search area by an ROV near the Titanic. Experts within the unified command are evaluating the information," the Coast Guard tweeted Thursday morning, using an acronym to refer to a remotely operated vehicle.

University of Sydney Marine Robotics Professor Stefan Williams wrote earlier this week in a blog post for The Conversation about the possibility the submersible could have imploded due to the immense pressure put on it by the weight of the water.

"The worst case scenario is that it has suffered a catastrophic failure to its pressure housing. Although the Titan’s composite hull is built to withstand intense deep-sea pressures, any defect in its shape or build could compromise its integrity – in which case there’s a risk of implosion," he wrote.

British businessman Shahzada Dawood, his son Suleman Dawood, British billionaire adventurer Hamish Harding, OceanGate CEO and founder Stockton Rush and French submersible pilot Paul-Henri Nargeolet were on the submersible when it descended to the Titanic wreck Sunday morning.

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.