The Boston Coast Guard is currently conducting a search and rescue mission about 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland for the five passengers on a submersible that left Sunday morning to make the trip 2.4 miles down into the Atlantic Ocean.
A submarine that allows tourists to see the wreckage of the Titanic on the ocean floor is missing.
The Boston Coast Guard is currently conducting a search and rescue mission about 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada for the five passengers on a submersible that left Sunday morning to make the trip 2.4 miles down into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.
The Coast Guard says they were using aircraft and ships as well as an array of sonar equipment in hopes of locating the missing vessel.
The submersible is owned by OceanGate Expeditions, a private company that recently began expeditions to view the historic Titanic wreckage.
The submersible seats five people in all and takes about eight hours to reach its destination from the ocean's surface,
Those eager to go have to pay up too, and each trip comes with a huge price tag of $250,000 per person.
Among the guests on the current for 10-day expedition is the British-born billionaire Hamish Harding.
He wrote on Twitter Saturday that poor weather conditions had delayed the trip but said a window has just opened up and a dive would be attempted the following day.
The group set off on Sunday and have enough oxygen to survive up to 96 hours underwater, according to OceanGate.
The Titanic was discovered in 1985 but interest skyrocketed after the release of the blockbuster movie Titanic in 1997, which featured footage of the real wreckage.
One possibility being talked about is that the sub got too close to the Titanic and got snared in the wreckage.
This was going to be the only manned trip to the wreck this year because the weather in Newfoundland has been the worst in 40 years.
OceanGate said in a statement: “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.”
