Titanic tourist submersible vanishes in the Atlantic, search under way

An investigation into a submarine that disappeared in the North Atlantic while trying to reach the Titanic’s wreckage was ongoing on Monday. In response to a question from CBS News regarding the rescue efforts off the coast of Newfoundland, Lt. Jordan Hart of the U.S. Coast Guard in Boston first stated that the crews were “currently undergoing a search and rescue operation.”

The crew of the Polar Prince, the ship that brought the submersible and expedition participants to the dive site, “lost contact with them approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes into the vessel’s dive,” the Coast Guard tweeted. On Sunday morning, the dive took place.

The submarine is thought to be roughly 900 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, and the U.S. Coast Guard said a P8 Poseidon aircraft with underwater detecting capabilities is assisting in the search. While boats are also scouring the water, Mauger stated during the briefing that planes are also scouring the skies. For the purpose of looking for the lost submarine, sonar buoys will be used in the water. They can hear 13 000 feet below them.

As stated by Mauger, the Coast Guard is also working with governmental and military allies to develop a rescue plan in the event that the vessel sinks.

“Right now, the vessel is the focus of our attention. If we find this ship in the ocean, we’ll also have to do some sort of rescue, Mauger added. We’re collaborating and getting in touch with different partners in the U.S. Navy, the Canadian military, and business to find out about potential underwater rescue capability.

Mauger said, “We’re making the best of every moment of that time to find the vessel.”

When questioned about the availability of emergency oxygen, Mauger said, “We anticipate that there are approximately 70 to the full 96 hours available at this time.”

The Canadian Coast Guard verified that the Boston Regional Coordination Centre was in command of the rescue operation upon being contacted by CBS News. The location of the Titanic wreck is also indicated on a jurisdictional map for the many coastal search and rescue agencies off the coast of North America.