The wreck of the “Titanic” that sank in 1912 still fascinates people all over the world. A submersible that occasionally brings tourists to the site is now missing. It is unclear whether tourists were on board.
A submersible that occasionally transports tourists to the Titanic wreck has gone missing in the Atlantic. The coast guard in the US city of Boston told the British broadcaster BBC that the vehicle is currently being searched for.
The private company Oceangate Expeditions on the American east coast offers dives to the “Titanic”. According to the New York Times newspaper, a trip in the summer of 2022 cost around 250,000 US dollars.
Boats can accommodate up to five people
Oceangate Expeditions confirmed that people were on board. “We are reviewing and mobilizing all options to bring the crew back safely,” the BBC said in a statement. “Our full attention is given to the crew members on the submersible and their families. We are working towards the safe return of the crew members.” It was initially unclear whether tourists were also on board. According to the BBC, the submersibles can accommodate up to five people: a captain, a maximum of three tourists and an expert.
Remains of the steamer discovered in the mid-1980s
The “Titanic” sank in the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in 1912, killing more than 1,500 people. The remains of the famous luxury liner were discovered in 1985 at a depth of around 3800 meters.
Only recently, scientists used high-resolution 3D images to offer the most accurate depiction of the wreck to date. They hope to use the recordings to track down the exact cause of the accident.
Titanic expert Parks Stephenson told the BBC that the model is a big step in moving the story of the passenger ship “in the direction of evidence-based research and not speculation”.