A submersible taking wealthy tourists to visit the site of the Titanic wreckage in deep waters off the coast of Canada was missing for a third day on Tuesday. As US and Canadian ships and planes swept a huge area trying to find the vessel.
The Titan made its first successful mission to the Titanic wreckage in 2021, then again in 2021. Missions take approximately 10 days, eight of which are at sea, and cost passengers $250,000 each. This week’s expedition was “likely to be the first and only manned mission to the Titanic in 2023”. Because Newfoundland experienced a historically bad winter, Harding said on Instagram.
Those missing on the trip include Harding, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Sulaiman Dawood, and French submariner and ex-Navy officer Paul-Henry Nargeolet. Since the submersible went missing. The experimental nature of the vessel has drawn criticism and an OceanGate advisor has lashed out for what he called a slow rescue response.
Contact with the small sub was lost about an hour and 45 minutes into its dive. The US Coast Guard said. On Monday afternoon, Rear Adm John Mauger of the US Coast Guard told a news conference. “We anticipate there is somewhere between 70 and the full 96 hours available at this point.”
He also said that two aircraft, a submarine and sonar buoys were involved in the search for the vessel. But noting the area in which the search is taking place was “remote”, making operations difficult. The company wants to continue the mission in 2024 as well. But right now, finding the missing millionaires are more important.
On social media at the weekend, Mr Harding (the missing person) said. He was “proud to finally announce” that he would be aboard the mission to the wreck of the Titanic. But added that because of the “worst winter in Newfoundland in 40 years. This mission is likely to be the first and only manned mission to the Titanic in 2023”.
The Titanic, which was the largest ship of its time, hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in 1912. Of the 2,200 passengers and crew onboard, more than 1,500 died.
Its wreckage has been extensively explored since it was discovered in 1985.
The wreck lies in two parts, with the bow and the stern separated by about 2,600ft. A huge debris field surrounds the broken vessel.
