Submarine disappears in area of Titanic wreckage
A submarine went missing Monday from the Titanic wreckage area, triggering a US Coast Guard search and rescue operation, the agency and company that operates the vessel said.
Petty Officer Lourdes Putnam confirmed that Coast Guard officials were looking for the submarine, which is operated by OceanGate Expeditions. It was not clear how many people were on board the ship and Officer Putnam gave no further details.
OceanGate, a company that takes paying tourists in submersibles to shipwrecks and underwater canyons, said on its website Monday that an “expedition was currently underway.”
In a statement after the submarine disappeared, the company said it was exploring all options to return the crew safely.
“Our entire focus is on the crew members in the submarine and their families,” a statement said. “We are very grateful for the extensive assistance we have received from various government agencies and deep-sea companies in our efforts to re-establish contact with the submarine.”
The Titanic sank in 1912 on its maiden voyage from England to New York after hitting an iceberg, killing more than 1,500 people. The wreck was found in 1985, divided into two main parts, about 400 miles off Newfoundland, in eastern Canada, and has since attracted the attention of experts and amateurs alike.
OceanGate has offered guided tours of the Titanic where guests paid $250,000 to travel to the wreckage on the seafloor, more than two miles below the ocean’s surface.
This is an evolving story. Check back later for updates.