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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Search Intensifies for Five People Aboard Titanic Sub; Blinken Touts "Progress" Made in Beijing Meetings; Tropical Storm Bret Forms in the Atlantic. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired June 20, 2023 - 05:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[05:00:28]

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Right now on EARLY START, lost at sea. The all-out search underway to find a small sub that was taking tourists to the Titanic.

Plus, the new talks underway to bring Americans detained in China back home.

And a tropical storm now gaining strength in the Atlantic. Tomorrow, it could be a hurricane.

Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Christine Romans this Tuesday morning.

It is a race against time to rescue five people aboard that missing submersible off the coast of Newfoundland. The Canadian coast guard is hoping that the search for the vessel, contact with the craft was lost Sunday. It only has about four days worth of life support aboard.

CNN has learned that British billionaire Hamish Harding is one of the five passengers along with a father and son from Pakistan.

CNN's Brian Todd has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An urgent search and rescue operation is now underway in the North Atlantic, in the area near the wreck of the Titanic. Defined a lost submersible with five people aboard.

The U.S. Coast Guard tells CNN that it's got a ship on the scene, and an aircraft, including C-130 planes. Canadian ships and planes joining the search as well, along with the Polar Prince, the vessel that transported the missing submersible to the sight of the Titanic wreckage, about 380 miles off the coast of Newfoundland.

The Coast Guard says the vessel submerged on Sunday morning and lost contact with the crew of the Polar Prince one hour and 45 minutes into its descent.

REAR ADMIRAL JOHN MAUGER, COMMANDER, FIRST COAST GUARD DISTRICT: We have to make sure that we're looking on both the surface, using aerial and surface vessels, but then expanding into underwater surge as well. Right now, our capability is limited to sonar buoys and listening for sound. But, you know, we are working very hard to increase the capability.

TODD: This rescue is a race against time. On its website, Ocean Gate Expeditions, the company that operates the submersible on operations down to the Titanic, says the 21-foot vessel has up to 96 hours, four days of oxygen for five people.

One signal rescuers could be looking for --

BUTCH HENDRICK, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, LIFEGUARD SYSTEMS: Does it have any of the normal pieces that a unit like this submersible should have? Or a releasable beacon that would've gone to the surface and could have been sending out a signal?

TODD: What could've gone wrong? CNN's weather team says the weather in the area was not overly harsh at the time the vessel submerged. But experts say, below the surface, currents could have affected the submersible, with its various motors and propellers.

HENDRICK: It could be entrapped. It's very easy for it to suddenly get caught on something and it can't come back to the surface.

TODD: The Titanic sink in 1912, after hitting an iceberg. More than 1,500 people died. The wreck was discovered in 1985, split into two parts.

Recently, an underwater scanning project using deep sea mapping created new spectacular images of the ship. It's become a popular and expensive tourist destination. It cost $250,000 per person to take a trip to the Titanic on the titan submersible that's now missing.

The Titanic lies close to 12,500 feet, more than two miles below the surface. A depth that experts say complicates any rescue mission.

DAVID GALLO, DEEP SEA EXPLORER: It's a different planet. It's a totally different planet. To go from the world of sun that earthling (ph) live with, down to what we call the twilight zone where that lovely color blue transcend to deep blue, dark blue, within for two hours, we're in pitch black. And the pressure is slowly building. The heat from the sun fades away and the cold of the deep ocean start getting -- infiltrate the sub.

TODD: Because of those conditions, the experts that we spoke to say that, if and when the submersible is located, and if it's deep underwater, they will probably have to send unmanned vehicles down first to try to address the situation.

Rescue diver Butch Hendrick says they'll likely have to try to bring the vessel to the surface suffers. He said they won't be able to extract the people inside while it's underwater.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: Remarkable, new details emerging about the resources being used to carry out the search.

CNN's Oren Liebermann has that part of the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The search and rescue effort or the search and recovery effort now, a joint effort between the U.S. and Canada, who've committed to different kinds of aircraft and capabilities to try to search as large an area as possible, both on the surface of the water and below the water. First, the U.S. and Canada either have launched or ready to launch C-130 Hercules.

[05:05:00]

These are four-engine aircraft that have, as part of their role, long- range patrol, long endurance missions so that they can stay up for hours at a time and search the surface of the water in case there's any sort of debris or perhaps the submersible is floating on top of the water without the ability to communicate. So, that is likely the role that the C-130s will take as they search some 900 miles east of Cape Cod, according to the Coast Guard.

Canada has also launched a P8 Poseidon aircraft. Now, this is effectively a sub hunter, designed with its capabilities look underwater and search underwater for the mass of an enemy submarine. In this case, it's not looking for something nearly that large, it is instead looking for a much smaller submersible. It might be more difficult to find because of how small it is, but it is worth noting that the enemy submarine does not want to be found, while the submersible very much but does want to be found. So that may assist in a very difficult search here.

Part of the way the searches is by using sonar buoys. It will drop different buoys in the water, sound obviously travels very well underwater and just trying to pick up on a sort of sound or any kind of acoustic signature that may, perhaps, be coming from the submersible. If you have a few of these in the water and they all hear the sound at different times, you can use that dry to triangulate or zero in on where the submersible may be.

But the Coast Guard, very realistic about how difficult this search is, there are commercial vessels that are underway as well at the search site that will bring additional capabilities to this effort.

Oren Liebermann, CNN at, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: A remarkable race against time there.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that negotiations are underway between U.S. and China to try to secure the release of Americans detained in China. The revelation follows Blinken's in-person talks with Chinese officials in Beijing. The State Department has identified at least three Americans being wrongfully detained in that country.

CNN's Kristie Lu Stout live in a home calling for us.

And, Kristie, any sense of timing of the potential deal with these Americans?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: You know, not yet, Christine. This is what we know on the back of his visit to Beijing, Antony Blinken said that the U.S. and China are discussing the release of three Americans detained in China. In an interview with CBS News, Blinken said that he did not want to get into the details, but negotiations are underway.

And I want you to listen to what he said earlier at a press event in Beijing. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE: I also specifically raised wrongfully detained U.S. citizens and those facing exit bans. There is no higher priority for me than the safety and well-being of U.S. citizens overseas, and I will continue to work intensively to secure their release and their safe return home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: Now, the three Americans imprisoned in China are Kai Li, a father detained in China since 2016 on spying charges that he denies. Mark Swidan, a Texas businessman who is convicted in 2019, and David Lin, a pastor detained in China since 2006. All three have been designated as wrongfully detained by the U.S. State Department.

And today, we heard from the ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson who commented on these cases, saying this, quote, China is a country with rule of law. All cases are handled in accordance with the law. There is no such thing as, so-called, wrongful detention, unquote.

Blinken said earlier that the U.S. has a commitment to continue to work on resolving all three cases. And during Blinken's visit to Beijing, of course, he met with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping, as well as other top officials. China and the U.S. agreed to destabilize a relationship. This visit could very will set the stage for a meeting between Xi and President Biden down the line, but it is unclear, Christine, whether a diplomacy, even at the very highest level, could help free the Americans detained in China.

Back to you.

ROMANS: One held since 2006.

All right. Kristie Lu Stout, thank you so much.

Now to Ukraine where officials in Kyiv say Russia is leveling new drone attacks on the Ukrainian capital this morning.

CNN's Frederik Pleitgen live in Kyiv for us. Fred, what we know about the latest drone attacks on the capital. How

do they fit into the bigger picture of where we are in this conflict?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Christine. Yeah, first of all, there is a lot of drones that the Russians launch at the Ukrainian capital tonight. It was quite interesting because Ukrainian officials are saying that those drones, the Shahed drones, which, of course, are made in Iran, the Ukrainians say they are used -- launched in ways at the city and they said that is what happened last night as well. There are waves of drone attacks and they actually managed to get to the region around the capital and possibly into the area of the capital as well.

Now, the Ukrainians are saying that, in total, they detected 35 of these drones and they managed to take down 32 of those drones. So, that's just -- is one of the things that goes to show the efficiency of the air defenses that the Ukrainians have a built up. Of course, those kinds of drones that the Russians are launching, they are very cheap and they launch them in ways. They launch a lot of them so Ukrainians tried to take them out in a way that is as cost-effective, if you will, as possible. They shoot rivals at them rather than wasting a missile on one of the drones.

So, once again, at the Capitol attack, there aren't really any reports of much in the way of damage or people who are harmed in all of this.

[05:10:04]

Again, also showing how efficient the air defenses are here at the Capitol. But, you're absolutely right, of course, this plays into the broader picture as well. As one of the things that we have seen is the counter offensive by Ukrainian, continuing to unfold and the Russians fighting back in a fierce way, of course, attacking the capital Kyiv but also on the front lines, especially in the southeast and in the east of the country, going there, very tough for the Ukrainians.

They do say that they are making headway. In fact, the president of this country, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he came out said, look, the Russians aren't advancing anywhere but our forces are advancing in certain places. The Ukrainians are now saying that in the span of eight days, they managed to take back eight villages, but what we have heard, and we were just on the front lines a couple of days ago, is that it is very difficult for the Ukrainians to advance right now as they are trying to breakthrough those very tough defenses that the Russians have set up.

They say they believe that they have the gear and manpower to do that, but, of course, those defenses are very tough especially Russian air power is one of the things that Ukrainians say they are finding extremely difficult to contend with, Christine.

ROMANS: Yeah, interesting.

All right. Fred Pleitgen for us this morning, thank you, Fred.

President Biden wakes up in California where he's been talking about his administration's climate policies. Biden just landed endorsements from four major environmental groups and ahead of a planned climate summit at the White House.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez is traveling with the president.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Biden on Monday kicking off his West Coast swing, with a focus on climate. The president visiting the coastal wetlands and delivering remarks about what his administration has done to combat climate change and focus on climate resiliency, including $600 million in federal funding for communities on the frontlines of climate resilience, and also announcing that there will be a White House summit on the issue in the months to come.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When I think of climate, I think of jobs. When I think of climate, I think of innovation. When I think of job -- climate I think of turning peril into progress. That's why I'm so optimistic about the future, I really am.

ALVAREZ: Now, the president here capitalizing on that first joint endorsement by four major environmental groups and also continuing to court climate groups and environmental justice groups just as he did in 2020, especially now going into that 2024 reelection campaign. And this West Coast swing builds on those several campaign related stops over the last week, with guns late week, the economy over the weekend, and on Monday, climate -- all against the backdrop of the campaign, revving up going into 2024.

The president also spending his time in California to go o fund- raisers as they try to shore up those funds ahead of the critical first quarter deadline.

Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, traveling with the president.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Coming up, new orders from the judge in former President Trump's classified document case.

Plus, the tropical storm turning right now in the Atlantic. Could Bret become a threat?

And unpacking Antony Blinken's vision to China. What did he get from his meeting with President Xi?

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[05:17:12]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE: I came to Beijing to strengthen communication, to make clear our positions and intentions in areas of disagreement and to explore areas where we might work together, where our interests align, on shared transnational challenges, and we did all of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: That was U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaking after two days of meetings in Beijing with top Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping. Blinken is the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Beijing in five years. No one expected a state visit to completely reset U.S.-China relations, but did the trip set the groundwork for the future?

CNN's Nic Robertson joins us live from London this morning.

Nic, can we say there was a thaw in this icy relationship after this meeting?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Certainly, what we are supposed to read into it, and I think it is brought a level of comfort to the global community, the global diplomatic community because they see the freezing, if you will, the tension in the relations that was only been getting deeper over the past two years. They see not so much an off ramp, but they see a level of communication which gives them -- which gives them some relief from their concerns.

The discussions that Secretary Blinken had, for example, about the United States' One China Policy, sticking to that. It concerns over the Taiwan Strait. But also the talk that was had between the two about, you know, global health, about climate change, about these far reaching global issues that the United States and the rest of the world need, the United States and China to be getting on with each other, if there's to be, let's say, you know, to head off a potential economic downturn, which has global implications.

Around the world, there is a great deal of concern on those issues that if the relationship got worse, then there would be bigger knock on effects. I think one of the issues that also has global reach and implications is the discussion that was had on China providing precursor chemicals for drugs like a fentanyl in the United States. But China is also seen as one of the major suppliers of precursor chemicals into Syria, which is pumping out a huge amount of illegal drugs that are affecting not just the Middle East but Europe and other countries as well.

But, perhaps the biggest thing that did not come out of it is the military to military communications, which Secretary Blinken was pressing for, which, you know, was something that was established with Russia during the Cold War. It was really intended to signal and did head off any miscalculations and misunderstandings about military maneuvers, of which there are a large amount around Taiwan.

So that is an issue, a big issue that remains. Secretary Blinken pointed out that that is still a topic of discussion.

[05:20:0l]

But, broadly speaking, yes, this is paving the way for something better in terms of relations.

ROMANS: You know, Blinken also talked about the war in Ukraine, something that obviously you have covered very closely. Here's part of what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLINKEN: We and other countries have received assurances from China that it is not, and will not provide lethal assistance to Russia for use in Ukraine. We appreciate that and we have not seen any evidence that contradicts that.

What we do have ongoing concerns about, though, are Chinese firms, companies that maybe providing technology that Russia can use to advance its aggression in Ukraine and we have asked the Chinese government to be very vigilant about that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: So, how do you think that's received by Ukraine's government?

ROBERTSON: Yeah, that's something that will go down very well. And, look, the Ukrainians feel that they also have had bilateral conversations with China. We noticed over the past few months that those relations have improved, but specifically back at the Munich security conference, the Ukrainian foreign minister had a meeting with his opposite number in China, which was felt to be -- which was felt to be beneficial to both countries.

The Ukrainians say they pointed out exactly that point Secretary Blinken was raising about other non lethal aid or support from Chinese businesses getting into -- into Russian military hands for use against Ukraine. And the Ukrainians felt they had a good response from the Chinese on that and the specific issue that they raised was shut down by the Chinese. So I think that there is hope on that front as well.

But, of course, the big support that Russia really gets out of China is the economic support, the fact that this is improved business energy supplies, relations between China and Russia to Moscow's benefit, because it is getting a lot of money from China, which helps support the war. But, in terms of the nonlethal aid that China says it's not going to give to Russia, this is something that the United States will have heard and, as was said by Secretary Blinken, it's been a statement that the Chinese have given to other countries. This will have been heard certainly to my knowledge over the past few months.

Even though other countries, whichever they may be, are not being named to specifically, but some of them would be seen to be partners and friends of the United States sharing this message.

ROMANS: Yeah, you know, just the long list of things that the U.S. is concerned about. Going back to the spy balloon, right, you've got this investment, Chinese investment in Cuba, you know, to build more of a military presence in this part of the world, you know, allegations of spying and difficulties that American businesses have in doing business in China.

You know, six months from now, you know, how many of these things are resolved I wonder?

ROBERTSON: I do not think many of them will. The think these are going to be long ongoing issues, particularly when it comes to the spy balloon, particularly when it comes to China's listening post in Cuba. These are issues that China believes are in its best national interest and perhaps it needs to find other ways other ways to collect its information and data on the United States rather than putting a spy balloon across the United States.

But, they are not going to be resolved because there is a lack of trust. I do not think that lack of trust is disappearing anytime soon and that is because there are two massive rival nations. China doesn't want to feel that it's being held back by the United States and its allies and partners, and until it reads the economic, diplomatic, political, military language globally in its favor, I don't think that's going to change.

There isn't going to be a -- there isn't going to be a situation of trust. So, six months, no, it's going to be a lot longer.

ROMANS: Yeah, baby steps.

All right. CNN's Nic Robertson, thank you. Nice to see you, Nic.

All right. Tropical storm Bret now churning into the Atlantic, it could become a hurricane in eastern Caribbean later this week. Meantime, a dangerous heat wave spreads across the south, bringing triple digit temperatures from Texas to Louisiana.

Let's go to meteorologist Derek Van Dam. Derek, is Florida on Bret's path there?

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, Christine,. It is far too early to say that it will have any impacts here across Florida or in the United States anywhere really. The system is several days out from impacting, well, let's say the Caribbean, let alone the United States. We will get to the details on that in just a moment.

First, let's look at the satellite imagery because it's still a tropical storm and very nicely organized tropical storm. You can see some healthy outflow, banding on the satellite imagery, this is indicated to the meteorologists that this thing is kind of gathering some strength and organizing. There is yet another disturbance just to the east, it will likely be named today, but we're focusing in on the newly minted tropical storm Bret. Winds right now at 40 miles per hour.

So, just as I mentioned, this storm has no impact on the United States as of right now, we have the cone of uncertainty from the National Hurricane Center. It indicates a strengthening storm to a hurricane by Wednesday into Thursday morning.

[05:25:02] And then, impacting the Lesser Antilles, so Guadeloupe, into Barbados, St. Vincent, for instance, by Friday morning. And then heading into the eastern sections of the Caribbean, and this is a very volatile environment within this region. So, a lot of the computer models showing that the storm will actually kind of fizzle out or at least become more disorganized and weaken as it does so.

The way that I showed you on the satellite or moment ago it kind of re-curves, so that shouldn't be concerned, but as we focus in on Bret's track, you can see that it is going to continue to march westward. So, Puerto Rico, all the way down to the Woodward islands. They need to keep a very close eye on this.

So, you mentioned some heat, some impressive records were broken yesterday. You've got to see this because we're talking 3 to 5 degrees above our high temperature records for the day for places like Laredo, San Angelo, as well as Del Rio. But this one astounded me the most, San Angelo had tied its record high temperature. The highest temperature ever recorded in its history, it only did this for other times, but 111 degrees.

And that's not even the full story, the full picture. Because if you start heading in the relative humidity and that is when it gets excessively hot. In fact, obnoxiously hot, that's the way I like to describe it. Heat index values at over 120 degrees in some locations.

Corpus Christi forecast to be 119. That's what it feels like on your exposed skin when you step outside. More of the same in Houston.

I mean, this is just simply downright uncomfortable and it looks like this weather is going to continue before a bit of rain. So, cool things off into the second half.

ROMANS: Uncomfortable and dangerous. That looks dangerous, I say it every morning, but check on your neighbors.

VAN DAM: Absolutely.

ROMANS: That looks really tough there in Texas.

All right. Nice to see you, Derek. Thank you so much.

VAN DAM: You, too.

ROMANS: A judge has barred Donald Trump and his co-defendant Walt Nauta from disclosing any information that was handed over to their attorneys in the classified documents case. It comes after special counsel Jack Smith asked for the ban.

CNN's Jessica Schneider has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the judge has issued a four page protective order, and it detailed several prohibitive conditions on the president, and his co-defendant Walt Nauta. That's because Justice Department officials want to ensure that all of the information they hand over as part of this discovery process in this prosecution is kept private.

So, Donald Trump and Walt Nauta and their lawyers would be barred from several things. First of all, sharing any information they're given with anyone other than their lawyers or people involved in the defense. In addition, Trump and Nauta will only be allowed access to this material under the direct supervision of their attorneys.

Now, they can take notes, but their notes must be kept in the possession of their attorneys and stored securely. And finally, nothing that DOJ gives can then be shared on social media. This sort of protective order is standard in criminal cases like this.

And the order, it must be signed by all parties who are privy to the information collected, and handed over by prosecutors. And it's really to protect against the disclosure of sensitive information, like grand jury transcripts, especially when other investigations we know are still ongoing. Of course, the special counsel's probe continues into efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn we know the special counsel's probe continues into efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election.

So, DOJ really needs to make hat information about those other investigations is not disclose publicly. And that's what this protective order does.

Jessica Schneider, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Quick hits across America right now.

Six teenagers are wounded after a shooting at a Juneteenth celebration in Milwaukee Monday. Police say the shooting stemmed from a fight between girls, a 17-year-old male is in custody.

The FBI is now investigating at least 100 letters with a suspicious white powder sent to state Republican legislators and public officials in Kansas this week. No injuries were reported.

A fishing crew lost three and a half million dollars in prize money in North Carolina. Tournament officials say that the 619-pound marlin they caught showed bites on its body that appeared to be from a shark. That's against the rules. A shark bitten marlin is probably easier to pull in, that's how the theory goes, at least.

All right. Coming, up what British lawmakers say about the latest Boris Johnson party-gate report, and a deadly firefight in the West Bank, and what the U.S. is now insisting, next.

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