The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a search for a missing tourist submarine that disappeared on Sunday after it went to explore the wreck of the Titanic, the agency told NBC Boston. It is not yet known how many people were on the craft when it disappeared.
OceanGate Expeditions, a private company that charters trips to explore the Titanic wreckage, said it was working with numerous government agencies to aid in the rescue of its crew.
“Our entire focus is on the crew members in the submersible and their families, we are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to reestablish contact with the submersible,” the company said in a statement.
The submarine was part of an OceanGate tour to explore the iconic Titanic wreckage, located 900 nautical miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. But it failed to return on Sunday.
The Coast Guard has coordinated a search to find or recover the submersible and any survivors. The Canadian Coast Guard is also aiding in the search, but it referred all questions to its American counterpart.
Considered the world’s most famous shipwreck, the Titanic was an opulent 883-foot ocean liner. Thought to be “unsinkable,” it shocked the world in 1912 when it struck ice in the Atlantic Ocean and sank. More than 1,500 people died.
The wreckage was discovered in 1985, about 350 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Surrounded by debris, the ship’s two main pieces are around 2,000 feet apart, according to a full-size scan that was released earlier this year.
Continued fascination with the Titanic has sparked a tourism industry around the ocean liner and its sinking, particularly after the release of the eponymous 1997 film from director James Cameron.
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.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
