Deep in the Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland and Labrador, a submersible boat carrying tourists to the Titanic wreck is the target of a rescue mission.

The U.S. coast guard in Boston is in charge of the operation, and the Canadian Coast Guard is aiding.

The organisation running the underwater excursion, OceanGate Expeditions, acknowledged that one of its ships, the Titan, was missing.

According to Rear Admiral John Mauger of the US Coast Guard, there are five persons on board.

What do we know about the submersible?

A carbon fibre and titanium submarine called the Titan is “lighter in weight and more cost-efficient to mobilise than any other deep-diving submersible,” according to OceanGate.

It has a 4,000-meter maximum depth of descent.

According to the business, it has been utilised on multiple trips and has transported five crew members to the Titanic wreck at a height of 3,800 metres.

It is 6.7 m long, 2.8 m broad, and 2.5 m high. It has a payload capacity of 685 kilograms and weighs roughly 10,000 kilograms.

Also Read: How much does submersible ride to visit Titanic Wreckage cost?

What is its top speed?

It may be used in a variety of sea conditions and cruises at three knots, or roughly 5.5 km/h.

The descent to the Titanic wreck takes roughly two hours.

The Polar Prince, a ship owned by a local Mi’kmaw band, launched the Titan, which vanished Sunday 370 km off the coast of Newfoundland.

The Polar Prince lost touch with Titan, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, around one hour and forty-five minutes after it started to descend.

How safe is it?

OceanGate says a series of sensors and other technology on board makes it possible to monitor the pressure inside the vessel as it descends and to “assess the integrity of the structure.”

Also Read: How deep is Titanic? Tourist submarine used to view ship wreckage goes missing in Atlantic Ocean

It says the system “provides early warning detection for the pilot with enough time to arrest the descent and safely return to surface.”

How long can people survive on board?
According to OceanGate, in the event of an emergency, there is life support capability for five people on board the Titan for 96 hours, or four days.

How many times has the Titan gone to the Titanic wreck?

The company is currently operating its fifth Titanic “mission” of 2023, according to its website, which had been scheduled to start last week and finish on Thursday.

The Titan has made dozens of dives to the wreck site since 2019.