The search is still on for a submersible that had been carrying affluent tourists to explore the Titanic wreckage in the deep waters off Canada’s coast. With U.S. and Canadian ships and planes tirelessly scouring a vast area, the vessel remained missing for the third consecutive day.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the submersible disappeared on Sunday with one pilot and four passengers on board. While the vessel had the capability to remain submerged for up to 96 hours, it was uncertain whether it had resurfaced but was unable to establish communication.
The passengers aboard the submersible, known as Titan, included prominent figures such as British billionaire Hamish Harding and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, accompanied by his son Suleman. Additionally, 77-year-old French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Stockton Rush, the founder and CEO of OceanGate—the U.S.-based operating company of the vessel—were reported to be among the occupants.
On Monday, U.S. and Canadian naval vessels and aircraft commenced an extensive search effort approximately 900 miles (1,450 km) east of Cape Cod. As part of their operations, some deployed sonar buoys capable of monitoring depths up to 13,000 feet (3,962 meters), revealed U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger.
Authorities also sought assistance from commercial vessels in the area. The wreckage of the Titanic, which sank in 1912 after colliding with an iceberg, rests at a depth of approximately 12,500 feet (3,810 meters). Typically, the Titan submersible requires around two hours to descend to the wreck. OceanGate Expeditions, the private company operating the submersible, expressed its commitment to exploring all available options for rescuing those aboard the Titan.
The U.S. Coast Guard took to Twitter to announce that the Polar Prince, a surface vessel, lost contact with the submersible approximately one hour and 45 minutes after it began its dive towards the Titanic wreckage site on Sunday.
