A submersible vessel used to take tourists to view the wreck of the Titanic is currently missing.
The five person sub named Titan, owned by OceanGate Expeditions, submerged on a dive to the wreckage site on Sunday morning. The trip often spans multiple days, costing $250,000 (around £195,250) per person.
However, the crew lost contact with the ship around one hour and 45 minutes later, the US Coast Guard has confirmed. The submersible was lost in an area around 900 miles east of Cape Cod in the North Atlantic Ocean, in waters around 13,000 feet deep. The Boston Coastguard has said a search and rescue mission continues in a bid to find the sub before it runs out of air, with Government agencies, US and Canadian navies as well as commercial deep-sea experts joining efforts to help locate the vessel.
How did the submersible become lost?
The vessel reportedly lost communications with its pilot shit, Polar Prince, around an hour and 45 minutes into the dive, the US Coast Guard said.
The submersible usually contacts the pilot ship every 15 minutes.
It is not known why or how the Titan lost contact, but the sub was lost in an area around 900 miles east of Cape Cod in the North Atlantic, 13,000 feet below sea level.
Rear Admiral John Mauger of the US Coast Guard stated they are doing "everything" they can to locate the vessel during press conference, adding: “Right now, our focus is getting on as much capability into the area as we can,” he said on Monday, adding: “We anticipate that there’s somewhere between 70 to the full 96 hours at this point.
“It is a remote area and a challenge, but we are deploying all available assets.”
Are there people on board?
It has been confirmed that five people are aboard Titan - including one operator and four mission specialists (the term to OceanGate uses for its passengers).
Among the mission specialists is British businessman and adventure traveller Hamish Harding, chairman of private plane firm Action Aviation.
The last pictures from before the dive were shared on Action Aviation’s Instagram account, depicting the submersible setting off into the depths.
Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Sulaiman Dawood have also been confirmed as passengers in a family statement.
“We are very grateful for the concern being shown by our colleagues and friends and would like to request everyone to pray for their safety,” the statement said.
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