Titanic-Bound Submarine Goes Missing, Search Underway: 'Our Entire Focus Is on the Crewmembers'

Henry Chandonnet
·2 min read
2

Ship troubles continue at the site of history’s most famous ship crash

Courtesy of WHOI Archives © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Rare Footage of Titanic Shipwreck
Courtesy of WHOI Archives © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Rare Footage of Titanic Shipwreck

Another rescue mission is underway near the site of the Titanic crash.

More than 110 years after the original RMS Titanic sank into the ocean, taking more than 1,500 lives and inspiring countless stories, yet another ship has gone missing in that treacherous zone. This time, it’s not a major ocean liner, but rather a submarine.

Related: The Titanic: Looking Back at the Ship's Tragic History

Led by OceanGate Expeditions, the underwater vehicle carries passengers to the site of the Titanic’s crash where participants get the chance to gaze upon the ship’s remains, CBS News reports. Participants on the excursion are able to document the rate of decay and catch glimpses of history. However, it seems like a recent trip has gone awry.

According to CBS News, the U.S. Coast Guard of Boston is currently undergoing a search and rescue operation to recover one of these Titanic-bound submarines. It is unclear how many passengers are on the ship, or if there are tourists aboard.

Traveling from Newfoundland, the Coast Guard is currently deploying assistance to the immediate oceanic area, CBS News reports. According to maritime law, this jurisdiction is technically covered by the Coast Guard of Boston. It also happens to be right around where the Titanic itself went down.

Courtesy of WHOI Archives © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Courtesy of WHOI Archives © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

In a statement obtained the BBC, OceanGate said, "Our entire focus is on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families."

"We are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to re-establish contact with the submersible," it continued..

Recently the deep sea travel company tweeted an image of the expedition.

The company’s last tweet concerning the trip was on June 15, four days before the news broke of the search and rescue mission.

For those interested in seeing the remains of the Titanic — without participating in an underwater voyage — new photos of the wreckage continue to be made available. Back in February, just in time for the 25th anniversary of James Cameron’s Titanic, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution released brand new footage of the wreckage, including an inside look into the Chief Officer’s cabin.

Before that, OceanGate, the company operating this submarine expedition, released “the very first 8K video” of the RMS Titanic’s remains. The video gave never-before-seen detail to the ship’s remains.

Related: New Titanic Details Revealed for First Time in High-Definition 8K Video of Undersea Wreck

There is currently no word on the fate of this submarine mission, as onlookers wait for updates from the Coast Guard of Boston. According to BBC, a seat on the submarine costs participants $250,000 each.

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