By Natalia Rueda 
Tragedy is looming off the coast of Newfoundland as a search and rescue operation is underway for a small submersible-type submarine that went missing with five people on board while on a trip to view the wreckage of the Titanic.
Among those aboard the mission are Stockton Rush, the CEO of the expedition’s organizer OceanGate, British adventurer and businessman Hamish Harding, a French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and a Pakistani father and son. The submarine lost contact one hour and 45 minutes after its dive Sunday and is reportedly equipped with between 70 and 96 hours of life support, according to US Coast Guard.
Despite the difficulty of reaching the Titanic wreckage, which lies on the ocean floor nearly 13,000 feet below the surface southeast off Newfoundland, Canada, a significant risk was taken by the team to explore the historic remains led by OceanGate.
The passengers on board all have an air of adventure and success behind them. Harding is a pilot and aeronautical engineer who has previously ridden in Blue Origin’s June 2022 space flight, as well as being one of the first people to dive into the Challenger Deep in the Pacific Ocean. Nargeolet is director of Underwater Research at the E/M Group and has led multiple expeditions to the Titanic, overseeing the recovery of many artifacts.
The families, friends and businesses of those aboard the submersible have been releasing statements and posts to social media painting a clearer picture of the expedition’s fate.
For now, the US Coast Guard is spearheading a search and rescue mission to locate the missing submarine and its passengers. Our hearts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this tragedy as we wait with hope for the vessel and those on board to be safely recovered.