A search and rescue operation was carried out on Monday The missing submarine On a voyage to explore the wrecks of the Titanic in the North Atlantic. Lt. Jordan Hart of the U.S. Coast Guard in Boston first confirmed to CBS News that crews are “currently engaged in a search and rescue operation” when asked about rescue efforts off the coast of Newfoundland.
At a news conference Monday afternoon, Rear Admiral John Mager confirmed that five people were on board. A Coast Guard official identified them as an operator and four mission specialists — which the company uses for its passengers.
The ship sank on Sunday morning, and the crew of the Polar Prince — the submersible and the ship that carried the expedition members to the dive site — “lost contact with them about 1 hour 45 minutes into the dive,” the guard said. A tweet.
OceanGate CruisesA company that sends unmanned submersibles on deep-sea expeditions confirmed in a statement that its submersible was the subject of a rescue operation, and that it was “exploring and mobilizing all options to bring the crew to safety.”
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The company did not say how many people were on the missing ship or whether any of them were paying tourists.
“Our entire focus is on the crew and their families on board the submarine,” OceanGate said, adding, “We are deeply grateful for the extensive assistance we have received from many government agencies and deep-sea companies. .”
US Coast Guard said C-130 crews searched the sub-area about 900 miles off Cape Cod, and the Halifax Rescue Coordination Center assisted a P8 Poseidon aircraft with underwater detection capabilities. Aircraft are searching from above, while ships are also searching in the water, Mager told the briefing. Sonar buoys are stationed in the water in an attempt to hear the missing mate. They are capable of hearing at a depth of 13,000 feet.
“It’s a remote area and conducting a search in that remote area is challenging, but we’re using all available assets to make sure we can find the craft and save the people on board,” Mauger said.
Mauger said the Coast Guard is working with military and civilian partners to develop a rescue plan if the vessel is located under the sea.
“Right now we’re focused on finding the ship. But at the same time, if we find this ship in the water, we’re going to have to do some sort of rescue,” Mauger said. “We’re coordinating and reaching out to a variety of partners within the U.S. Navy, within the Canadian Armed Forces, and in private industry to understand what underwater rescue capabilities can be.”
The mate is believed to have 96 hours of endurance in the event of an emergency on board.
“We’re making the most of every moment of that time to find the ship,” Mauger said.
When asked about the emergency oxygen supply, Mauger said, “We expect it to be anywhere from 70 to a full 96 hours at this point.”
The Coast Guard alerted mariners Sunday night that a “21-foot submarine” had lost its white hull and given its last known position. “Nearby ships are requested to keep a sharp lookout and assist if possible,” the message said.
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Contacted by CBS News, the Canadian Coast Guard said the rescue was being managed by the Boston Regional Coordination Centre. Map showing jurisdictional boundaries Various Coastal Search and Rescue agencies along the North American coast have shown the Titanic wreckage within the Boston Center area of responsibility.
OceanGate said recently Its website The search for the wreck of the RMS Titanic, located about 400 miles southeast of the coast of Newfoundland, is “ongoing,” according to social media.
The company last tweeted about the Titanic voyage On June 15.
Saturday, British businessman Hamish Harding shared on Facebook He was also on board the Oceangate cruise that had left St. John’s, Newfoundland the day before. “The sub-team includes two legendary explorers, some of whom have made more than 30 dives on RMS Titanic since the 1980s,” Harding wrote. He said weather conditions meant “this will be the first and only manned voyage to the Titanic in 2023” and that the team planned to begin dive operations at 4 a.m. Sunday.
Harding’s company, Action Aviation, later confirmed he was one of the tourists on board, The Associated Press reported.
“There is still plenty of time to facilitate a rescue mission, and in this event survival equipment is on board,” the company’s executive director, Mark Butler, told the AP. “We all hope and pray that he makes a safe return.”
Harding, a veteran adventure tourist, was He traveled to space In last year’s Blue Origin Rocket.
Diver and explorer Rory Golden posted about being on the Titanic. A Facebook registration On Monday afternoon, he wrote: “I’m fine. We’re all focused here for our friends.”
He continued: “We have part of a larger search and rescue effort, which is being carried out by major agencies. That’s where our focus is right now.
“The response and offering of aid around the world has been truly amazing and shows the real benefit to people at a time like this.”
OceanGate’s submarine, The Titan, is the world’s only five-person submersible capable of reaching the Titanic wreck, which sits approximately 2.4 miles below the ocean’s surface. CBS News “Sunday Morning” Correspondent David Bogue Joined the ship’s crewWith a small group of intrepid tourists, for a trip to see the world’s most famous shipwreck last year.
As he sat in the vessel, which he said was as roomy inside as a minivan, Bogue said, “how many pieces of the sub seemed improvised, off-the-shelf components, including the video game controller used to pilot the sub.
On Monday, following news of the missing mate, Bok tweeted how the ship “went missing for a few hours last summer, while I was on board… Here’s the relevant part of the story. https://t.co/7FhcMs0oeH“
Miles Doran contributed reporting.
