The OceanGate’s Titan submarine has lost contact during one of its dives to the Titanic, nearly 4 km below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean.
The submarine was built by OceanGate, based in Everett, Washington, and is operated by an affiliated company, OceanGate Expeditions. This company is known for capturing footage of the Titanic in 8K for the first time.
In an email statement, OceanGate Expeditions stated that they were “exploring and mobilizing all options to bring the crew back safe and sound.”
“Our focus is on the crew members in the submersible and their families,” the company said. “We are deeply grateful for the extensive assistance we have received from various government agencies and deep-water companies in our efforts to reestablish contact with the submarine.”
A trip that cost a quarter of a million per ticket
The Titan submersible is designed to accommodate five people, typically including a pilot, researchers, and mission specialists who have paid $250,000 to be part of the expedition.
The crew members take turns descending to the Titanic wreck site from a mission control ship that sails to the location from Newfoundland, and then returns to receive the next expedition crew.
OceanGate Expeditions began offering tours to the Titanic in 2021 and conducted a second round of surveys last year as part of its long-term plan to document the deterioration of the wreck and the state of the surrounding ecosystem.
This year’s expeditions started in May. At least four crews headed to the site during the current season, which was scheduled to conclude by the end of this month.
OceanGate spent years constructing the Titan, one of the three submarines it operates. The Titan features a pressurized hull made of carbon composite and titanium.
The hull is equipped with sensors to detect structural stresses amidst the high pressures of the deep ocean. This year, OceanGate has utilized SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network for its internet connections.
During the expeditions of the past two years, the OceanGate Expedition crews captured high-resolution imagery of the remains of the Titanic, a luxury liner that sank to the ocean floor in 1912 after colliding with an iceberg during its maiden voyage from Britain to New York.
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