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Boston's Morning Newsletter
A look at the track record of deep sea rescues — and the company that owns the missing Titanic sub
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Get your flower crowns. The summer solstice officially arrives today at 10:57 a.m., and the four Harvard museums are hosting a free, family-friendly festival tonight to celebrate the longest day of the year. There’ll be live music all afternoon in Downtown Crossing. And if you’re farther west, UMass Amherst is marking the occasion with a sunset gathering at the campus’ sunwheel.
To the news:
The search continues: 900 miles east of Cape Cod, search and rescue teams say they have detected “underwater noises” while looking for the missing Titanic submersible. But so far, “searches have yielded negative results,” according to the U.S. Coast Guard. That’s the latest update from early this morning on the status of the missing sub carrying five tourists. Experts believe it’s likely they only have enough oxygen to last until tomorrow morning. The deep sea search — combing an area the size of Connecticut with remote-operated underwater vehicles — has made international headlines since the sub went missing Sunday. Here’s a rundown of everything we know about the passengers, the sub company’s history and the desperate search:
- Get familiar: OceanGate, the deep sea exploration and tourism company that operates the missing Titan sub, had been pioneering some of the latest Titanic research. Just last month, the company shared the first-ever, full-sized digital scan of the wreck site. The five passengers onboard include OceanGate’s CEO.
- Warning signs: WBUR’s Walter Wuthmann reports OceanGate also has a history of questions over its equipment’s safety. Court filings show a former pilot said he was fired after alleging the company did not properly test the submersible’s hull.
- What it’s like in the sub: CBS Sunday Morning correspondent David Pogue went on the Titan in November for an assignment. He told NPR it’s like a “minivan without seats.”
- Go deeper: David Marquet, a retired U.S. Navy submarine captain, told NPR’s Morning Edition there are many factors that make this search-and-rescue mission particularly challenging. Marquet put the chances of its passengers’ survival at “about 1%.”
- Flashback: While difficult, there is precedent for successful deep sea rescues. In 1973, the tiny, two-man submarine Pisces III was found off the coast of Ireland after spending three days stuck 1,575 feet below sea level. The crew was rescued with just 12 minutes of oxygen to spare. Click here for the full, incredible story.
Roughly 1,400 workers at the Encore Boston Harbor casino in Everett are voting this morning on whether to allow union leaders to call a strike, just over two months since their first contract expired on April 19.
- What’s next: Workers won’t automatically go on strike if they approve the strike authorization. But a vote in favor would set a deadline for a strike to begin if the two sides don’t agree on a new contract. If a strike occurs, Unite Here plans to set up 24/7 picket lines. The local Teamsters union has agreed to not deliver liquor, food, and other goods to the casino in solidarity.
- What they’re bargaining for: Ava Wade, a steward for Unite Here Local 26, told WBUR’s Dave Faneuf the casino’s employees’ wages lag behind what their counterparts earn at Wynn-owned, five-star resorts in Las Vegas.
PSA: Worcester plans to spray pesticide around the city tonight in an effort to reduce the number of mosquitoes. Officials say residents should stay inside while they’re spraying in their neighborhood and for up to 20 minutes afterward. It’s the second of three spraying rounds in Worcester; the final is scheduled for next Tuesday.
- Residents will be notified by email and text if their neighborhood is getting sprayed. (They can also opt their property out of the pesticide program here.)
Back in court: The Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of leaking top secret government documents is due to be arraigned in Worcester today. WBUR’s Ally Jarmanning reports Jack Teixeira, who was indicted last week on six counts of retaining and transmitting national defense information, has been held at the Plymouth County jail since he was arrested in April.
- Teixeira, who could enter a plea during the 3:45 p.m. court appearance, faces up to 10 years in prison on each count.
P.S.— If you’re trying to make the most of tonight’s 8:25 p.m. sunset with man’s best friend, check out our updated list of dog-friendly outdoor dining spots in Boston — categorized by neighborhood.
