The US Coast Guard in Boston and Canadian rescue teams have initiated the search for a submarine carrying five people which was heading towards the wreckage site of the Titanic and went missing on Sunday night, 435 miles south of St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Rear Admiral John Mauger, commander of the First Coast Guard District, reported that two aircrafts coming from both the US and Canada are searching the area, along with a commercial ship. The search is challenging as it needs to be conducted on the surface and below the sea, as the area is located 900 miles east of Cape Cod and can reach a depth of up to 13,000 feet.
The submersible, called “Titan,” departed from St. John’s on Sunday morning, however the vessel lost contact with the Polar Prince, the Canadian ship providing assistance to the watercraft, approximately an hour and 45 minutes later. The vehicle belongs to OceanGate Expeditions, a Washington-based deep-sea exploration company. The company’s expeditions to the Titanic wreckage include archaeologists, marine biologists, and people who pay to come along, known as “mission specialists.” The Coast Guard reported that the submersible had one pilot and four “mission specialists” on board.
OceanGate has expressed their appreciation for the aid they have received from various government agencies and deep sea companies, and stated that they are “working towards the safe return of the crewmembers.” Furthermore, Rear Admiral Mauger indicated that the submersible has a 96-hour emergency sustainment capability, including oxygen and fuel, which implies that it can survive between 70 and 96 hours.