Titanic tourist submersible goes missing with search under way

A submersible craft used to take people to see the wreck of the Titanic has gone missing in the Atlantic Ocean with its crew on board, sparking a major search and rescue operation.

The BBC reports that tour firm OceanGate, which runs US$250,000-a-seat expeditions to the wreck, said it was exploring all options to get the crew back safely.

It said government agencies and deep sea firms were helping the operation.

The Titanic sank in 1912 and lies some 3,800 metres beneath the waves.

The missing craft is believed to be OceanGate's Titan submersible, a truck-sized sub that holds five people and usually dives with a four-day supply of oxygen.

It is not known when contact with the craft was lost, but the vessel was reported overdue last night about 700km south of St John's, Newfoundland.

Hamish Harding, a 59-year-old British billionaire businessman and explorer, is among those on the missing submarine.

Source : BBC