Titanic tourist submarine goes missing off coast of Newfoundland

A small research submarine used to give tourists a view of the wreck of the Titanic has gone missing off the coast of Newfoundland.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax confirmed in an email that a research submarine was reported overdue around 9:13 p.m. Sunday, about 700 kilometres south of St. John’s, N.L.

Lt.-Cmdr. Len Hickey said an Aurora military aircraft and the Canadian Coast Guard vessel Kopit Hopson were assisting the search effort, which was being led by the U.S. Coast Guard in Boston.

The U.S. Coast Guard said in a tweet that it has a C-130 Hercules aircraft involved in the search along with a P-8 Poseidon aircraft, which has underwater detection capabilities.

The chief of a Newfoundland and Labrador First Nation that is part owner of the ship from which the small submarine is launched confirmed the vessel is operated by U.S.-based OceanGate Expeditions. Vessel tracking sites show the ship, a former coast guard icebreaker called the Polar Prince, sailed from St. John’s on Friday.

Miawpukek Chief Mi’sel Joe could not say how many people were on board the submersible, which can seat up to five people.

“They are waiting for a submersible to arrive (to assist) from the United States,” he said. “All I can offer at this stage is prayers and more prayers that the people on board will come to the surface and be safe.”

OceanGate says they lost contact with the submersible that was due back from its 10-day trip on Sunday.

“Our entire focus is on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families,” reads the statement. “We are exploring and mobilizing all options to bring the crew back safely.”

“We are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our effort to reestablish contact.”

The company takes tourists on multi-day trips to view the sunken ship for a cost of $250,000 USD. OceanGate’s website notes they have several dives planned for 2023 and recently posted on social media that one of their expeditions was underway.

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey tweeted that he is thinking of those affected and hopes the U.S. Coast Guard finds “the sub and those on it very soon.”

“Newfoundland and Labrador has a long-standing connection with the wreck of the Titanic, with tourists departing our harbour to visit the site off our shores,” the premier said.

OceanGate has not confirmed how many people were on board the missing vessel.

The Titanic sank in 1912 after the British passenger ship struck an iceberg, killing more than 1,500 people, in one of the deadliest shipwrecks ever.

The remains of the ship were discovered at the bottom of the ocean in 1985. The wreckage is approximately 600 kilometres off the coast of Newfoundland.

With files from The Canadian Press