Authorities have intensified their search efforts in the North Atlantic for a tourist submarine that went missing while on an expedition to explore the renowned Titanic shipwreck. Multiple United States and Canadian agencies have been scouring thousands of square miles of open ocean. In a significant development, underwater noises were detected in the search area, prompting further exploration beneath the surface. Remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) were deployed to focus on the location where the sounds were heard.
The submersible craft, named Titan and owned by OceanGate Expeditions, embarked on a dive to the Titanic wreckage site on Sunday morning with a five-person crew. However, the US Coast Guard reported that contact with the sub was lost approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes after submersion. An alert was issued to mariners, stating that the “21-feet long submarine” with a white hull was overdue, providing its last known position. The search area spans about 900 miles east of Cape Cod in the North Atlantic, with water depths of approximately 13,000 feet. As of Tuesday afternoon, Coast Guard officials estimated that the sub had less than 40 hours of breathable air remaining.
Coast Guard Captain Jamie Frederick expressed a commitment to making every possible effort to conduct a rescue operation. The search operation was described as “incredibly complex” during a news conference. The five individuals on board the sub included the operator, identified as Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, and four mission specialists who had paid up to $250,000 for their seats.
Search and rescue efforts have involved multiple vessels, including those equipped with side-scan sonar capabilities to generate images of the sea floor. Additional assets were expected to join the operation within 24 to 48 hours. Various military and other agencies operating under a unified command have collaborated in the search. Aircraft, including C-130 planes and a P-8 Poseidon with underwater detection capabilities, have been deployed by the US Coast Guard and the Rescue Coordination Center Halifax. Canadian P-3s have also been involved in deploying sonar buoys.
Underwater noises were detected in the search area, prompting the relocation of underwater search operations. However, the origin of the sounds remains unknown. Despite conducting a remotely-operated vehicle search, positive results have yet to be obtained thus far. US Navy experts are analyzing the initial data collected by the Canadian aircraft to aid in the ongoing search.
The missing submersible belongs to OceanGate Expeditions, a company specializing in deep-sea exploration with human-crewed submarines. The sub has been advertised for tourist voyages to the Titanic wreckage, with each seat costing $250,000. The Titanic lies approximately 400 miles southeast of the Newfoundland coast. OceanGate had confirmed the sub as theirs and initiated rescue operations to locate and recover it. The company stated its commitment to exploring all options to ensure the safe return of the crew and passengers.
The passengers aboard the submersible include:
- Hamish Harding, a British billionaire and explorer.
- Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, business people from the Dawood Hercules Group Pakistan.
- French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, who has previously conducted dives to explore the Titanic.
Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, was serving as the pilot. The UK government is in contact with Harding’s family, ready to assist as search and rescue operations continue.
OceanGate’s submersible, the Titan, is renowned as the only five-person submersible in the world capable of reaching the depths of the Titanic’s resting place, nearly 2.5 miles beneath the ocean’s surface. The company’s website features three submersible crafts, including the Titan, which typically accommodates a pilot, three paying guests, and a content expert. Weighing approximately 23,000 pounds, the Titan can reach depths of over 13,000 feet and provides about 96 hours of life support for a crew of five.