For the first time since the disappearance of the “Titan”, the co-founder of OceanGate, the company that manages the submarine, is breaking his silence. Guillermo Sonlein, who co-founded OceanGate with Stockton Rush, says five people aboard a submersible have “more (amount of time) than most people think.”

His announcement comes as everyone wonders when Titan will run out of oxygen.

Sonline, who is no longer involved in the company but remains a minority shareholder, said in a statement to Insider that Thursday was “a critical day in the search and rescue mission as the submarine’s life support supplies began to run out.”

“I’m sure Stockton and the rest of the team realized a few days ago that the best thing they could do to ensure their salvation was to maximize the limits of these stocks. I firmly believe that the window of time available for their salvation is longer than most people think. I keep hoping for my friend and the rest of the team,” he said, as quoted by The Guardian.

Technical data confirm the version that the oxygen on the underwater vehicle “Titan” runs out in 96 hours, that is, theoretically, this deadline was fulfilled between 14:00 and 15:00 on Thursday. However, the exact moment cannot be precisely determined, experts say. But one thing is clear, the rescue is a race against time.

Breathing air is about to run out, but 96 hours with five people on board can actually mean more. This is if passengers took measures to save oxygen, say experts cited by the Guardian. It also depends on how many people are still alive aboard the submersible that disappeared Sunday morning.