U.S. and Canadian rescue teams are searching for a submersible carrying five people to the Titanic wreckage site before losing contact with the vessel deep in the Atlantic. The sub was equipped with a four-day supply of oxygen when it dived from its support ship on Sunday.
Explore the wreckage: What we know about the Titanic
Where was the submergible lost?
The 22-foot submersible and its support ship left from St. John’s on Friday. The submarine submerged with five people on board Sunday morning, the Coast Guard said. The Canadian ship monitoring the submersible lost contact with it about an hour and 45 minutes later.
How big is the Titanic tourist submersible?
Built by OceanGate Inc, the Titan submersible is designed to take five people to depths of 13,124 feet for site survey and inspection, research and data collection. The submarine weighs 25,000 pounds and has a titanium crew compartment and a carbon fiber hull. Unlike submarines, submersibles has limited power reserves, so they require a support ship that can launch and recover them.
How deep is the Titanic wreckage?
The Titanic lies about 370 miles off Newfoundland, Canada, at a depth of about 12,500 feet. Trips to the site typically involve a two-hour descent. Few vessels can endure the pressure at such depth — more than 5,300 pounds per square inch. For comparison, the test depth of Navy nuclear Seawolf-class submarines is 1,600 feet.
Who is searching for the missing submergible?
Several ships and a C-130 aircraft were searching for signs of the missing vessel. Rescuers have described a difficult search above and below the waters. The U.S. Coast Guard is coordinating with the U.S. Navy and Canadian military to organize the search.
