A small submarine bringing tourists to the Titanic has gone missing somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean.
The submersible was reported missing after it was overdue by a couple of hours on Sunday evening, according to Chief Mi’sel Joe — head of the Mi’kmaq band which owns the ship from which the submersible is launched.
Joe said he’s getting constant updates on the situation, but he hasn’t been told how many people were on board. He said another submersible is being flown in from the United States to join the search.
The Canadian Coast Guard told CBC News on Monday morning the search falls under the jurisdiction of the Boston Coast Guard. The American group confirmed a search is underway but provided no other details.
The wreck of the Titanic sits 370 nautical miles — about 680 kilometres — southeast of Newfoundland.
Submersible tours are offered by OceanGate Expeditions, a U.S.-based company with operations in Newfoundland. The tours cost about $250,000.
Those tours are a series of five eight-day missions to the Titanic with the money raised by tourists funding Titanic research. Posts on social media show the ship launched from the St. John’s area last week.
The company’s CEO, Stockton Rush, could not be reached for comment Monday.
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