Tourist Submarine Visiting Titanic Wreck Goes Missing, “Search and Rescue Operation” Underway

The submersible went to explore the iconic wreckage on Sunday, but it failed to return.

A search and rescue mission was underway Monday morning for a submarine that went missing in the North Atlantic on an expedition to explore the wreckage of the Titanic.  Lt. Jordan Hart of the U.S. Coast Guard in Boston told CBS News that personnel were “currently undergoing a search and rescue operation” when asked about the rescue efforts off the coast of Newfoundland. 

OceanGate Expeditions, a company that deploys manned submersibles for deep sea expeditions, confirmed in a statement that its sub was the subject of the rescue operation, adding that it was “exploring and mobilizing all options to bring the crew back safely.”

The company did not say how many people were on board the missing vessel or whether any of them were paying tourists, whom it does take as passengers on its expeditions.

CBS

OceanGate’s tours include a 10-day trip with 18 dives off of a larger boat to a maximum depth of 12,800 feet. Scientific research and observation is also conducted on the trips, according to the company.

According to the OceanGate website, the fees customers pay “underwrite the mission, the participation of the science team, and their own training.” Individuals may pay as much as $250,000 to join the exploration, the New York Times reported last year.

NBC

David Concannon, an adviser to the company, said Oceangate lost contact with the sub Sunday morning. It had a 96-hour oxygen supply, he said in an email to The Associated Press on Monday afternoon. “Now 32 hours since sub left surface,” said Concannon, who said he was supposed to be on the dive but could not go due to another client matter. He said officials are working to get a remotely operated vehicle that can reach a depth of 6,000 meters (about 20,000 feet) to the site as soon as possible.

SEATTLE TIMES