The Boston Coast Guard reported on Monday that a submersible meant to transport tourists to the Titanic wreck has vanished.

A search and rescue effort is currently under place off the coast of Newfoundland, according to the Boston Coastguard, who spoke to BBC News. The number of passengers on board, when it vanished, is unknown.

Occasionally, small submersibles may transport experts and paying tourists to the Titanic wreck, which is located 3,800 meters (12,500 feet) below the ocean’s surface.

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According to the BBC, the business OceanGate Expeditions charges $250,000 for each visitor on its eight-day Titanic diving trips. As per The Guardian, OceanGate planned an eight-day, seven-night trip to the wreck for June 12–20, 2023, with room for a maximum of six people.

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

“We are working toward the safe return of the crewmembers,” it added.

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The two-part wreckage lies around 370 miles (or 2.3 miles) off the Canadian island of Newfoundland. It is at a depth of about 12,600 feet. The bow and stern are separated by around 800 meters (2,600 feet) on either side of it. The wrecked vessel is surrounded by a vast field of wreckage.

On its inaugural journey from Southampton to New York in 1912, Titanic, the passenger liner—the biggest ship at the time—ran into an iceberg. More than 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers and workers on board died.

The ship’s frame is rapidly disintegrating due to rust and germs tearing it down, therefore the window for travelers to view the wreckage in its current shape is rapidly closing. One account claims that the famed bow of the Titanic may capsize at any time. According to experts, the ship may have totally disintegrated by the year 2030.

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The bow and stern are separated by around 800 meters (2,600 feet) on either side of it. The wrecked vessel is surrounded by a vast field of wreckage.

Deep-sea mapping was used to produce the first complete digital scan of the disaster last month. The scan reveals the size of the ship in addition to a few other specifics, such as the serial number on one of the propellers.