What happened to the Titanic tourist submarine?
OVER 11 decades after the sinking of the Titanic, a Canadian research submersible visiting the wreckage went missing on June 18, 2023.
The US Coast Guard has since put out a search for survivors after the vessel vanished with five people on board, including a British billionaire.
What happened to the Titanic tourist submarine?
On June 18, 2023, a submersible sent out by OceanGate Expeditions – a private company that charters trips to explore the Titanic wreckage – went missing on Sunday evening.
The vessel reportedly holds five people and dives with a four-day supply of oxygen, as per BBC.
It was meant to explore the iconic Titanic wreckage, located 900 nautical miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
However, when the vessel did not return, it prompted a search by the Coast Guard for the missing Canadian research submarine.
Hamish Harding, a 59-year-old British billionaire businessman and one of five people on the missing sub warned social media followers about poor weather conditions before his trip began.
On Sunday he took to Facebook to write: “Due to the worst winter in Newfoundland in 40 years, this mission is likely to be the first and only manned mission to the Titanic in 2023.
“A weather window has just opened up and we are going to attempt a dive tomorrow. We started steaming from St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada yesterday and are planning to start dive operations around 4am tomorrow morning.
He added: “More expedition updates to follow IF the weather holds!”
How many people are missing?
Five people were expected to be on the vessel during the time of its disappearance.
Harding along with French submersible pilot Paul-Henry Nargeolet and chief executive and founder of OceanGate Expeditions, Stockton Rush, are all feared missing, according to Sky News.
“Our entire focus is on the crew members in the submersible and their families,” OceanGate Expeditions said in a statement.
“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.”
A P8 Poseidon aircraft that has underwater detection capabilities is also being used to help the US and Canadian Coast Guards in their search to recover the submersible and any survivors.
When did the Titanic sink?
The RMS Titanic was built in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and designed by shipbuilder, William Pirrie.
The largest ocean liner ever built departed Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912, and was set to make its way to New York City on April 17.
However, on April 15, at around 2.20am, the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank into the Atlantic Ocean about 400 miles south of Newfoundland, Canada.
Nearly 1,500 out of the 2,200 passengers and crew went down with the ship or froze to death due to the tragedy.