5 People Missing After Submersible Disappears Near Titanic Wreckage

After a submersible used to explore the wreckage of the Titanic lost contact on June 18, a search has been launched in the North Atlantic.

By Jess Cohen Jun 19, 2023 8:13 PMTags

A submersible has gone missing in the North Atlantic near the site of the Titanic wreckage.

The disappearance has prompted the U.S. Coast Guard to start a search for the missing submersible, as well as its five-person crew.

"The @USCG is searching for a 21-foot submersible from the Canadian research vessel Polar Prince," the Coast Guard tweeted June 19. "The 5 person crew submerged Sunday morning, and the crew of the Polar Prince lost contact with them approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes into the vessel's dive."

According to NBC News, the submersible was a part of an OceanGate Expeditions tour—which explores the wreckage of the RMS Titanic, the ship that infamously sank in 1912—and is located approximately 900 nautical miles east of Cape Cod, Mass.

"Our entire focus is on the crew members in the submersible and their families," OceanGate said in a statement, obtained by the outlet, "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."

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During a press conference on June 19, officials said one pilot and four mission specialists are onboard the submersible and noted they are doing everything they can to locate them.

The names of the individuals have not been released publicly at this time.

Yasin Demirci/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Over the years, interest in the sinking of the Titanic has increased since the 1997 release of James Cameron's film of the same name, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.

The ship set sail on April 10, 1912, with more than 2,000 passengers onboard. Four days later, after striking an iceberg, the Titanic sunk to the bottom of the ocean, killing over 1500 people.

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