By: Johanna Wu

Five people went missing while going to see the Titanic Shipwreck underwater on Sunday, June 18.They were lost in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador in a submersible, which is similar to a submarine, but they’re usually smaller and controlled remotely.

The company OceanGate Expeditions, organized the trip. About 90 minutes after going underwater, the submersible called Titian, lost contact with its support vessel. It was about 700 kilometers south of St. John’s, Newfoundland at the time. OceanGate estimated that there were about 96 hours of oxygen left for the five passengers to use.

One day after the submersible went missing, rescue efforts began.Many countries from around the world have sent ships, aircrafts, and other equipment to help with the search. On Tuesday and Wednesday, a Canadian aircraft picked up banging noises deep in the ocean. Many think that the noises might have come from Titian. Now, officials think that the noise was unrelated.Early Thursday, three more ships arrived on the scene, including two with remotely operated vehicles on board.

In a news conference Thursday afternoon, U.S. coast guard Rear Admiral John Mauger said a remotely operated vehicle discovered a piece of the Titan sitting on the floor about half a kilometer from the Titanic.Mauger thinks that the Titian had an implosion. An implosion is when something bursts inwards. “The debris is consistent with a catastrophic implosion of the vessel,” he said. Officials are unclear when the implosion happened. It is possible it happened as early as Sunday, June 18, when the submersible lost contact with its support vessel, according to a U.S. military official.

“I offer my deepest condolences to the families,” Mauger said. “I hope that this discovery provides some solace during this difficult time.”

Worldwide, many asked what exactly went wrong. Mauger says that a further investigation into that question will begin soon.

Source:

https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/5-people-in-underwater-titanic-expedition-have-been-lost-at-sea