5 People Missing After Submersible Disappears Near Titanic Wreckage

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.”