Submersible carrying five people to the Titanic goes missing

Rescuers were still searching Tuesday in the North Atlantic for a deep-water submersible that started its dive to explore the wreckage of the Titanic on Sunday. It hasn’t been in contact since about an hour and 45 minutes after it submerged. The vessel left with about four days’ supply of oxygen. Submersibles differ from submarines in that they require another ship to launch and return. 

Who was on board? The Titan carried a pilot, a renowned British adventurer, two members of a Pakistani business family, and a Titanic expert, according to reporting by the Associated Press. The mission of OceanGate Expeditions planned to document the decay of the Titanic’s wreckage. The company also allows paying customers to join the missions, take turns operating equipment, and perform tasks. 

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, listen to Kim Henderson’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about how the iconic Titanic tragedy reminds us of the futility of man’s plans.