Tourist submersible with five on board reported missing in Atlantic Ocean

A deep-diving tourist submersible with five people on board has gone missing in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the US Coast Guard recently confirmed.

The coast guard is searching for the submersible after the Canadian research vessel Polar Prince lost contact with the smaller craft during a dive approximately 1,440 kilometres east of Cape Cod on the morning (local time) of Sunday, June 18.

A US Coast Guard C-130 Hercules aircraft as well as a Canadian aircraft equipped with underwater sonar capability are currently searching for the missing submersible.

In a social media post, submersible operator OceanGate Expeditions said it is exploring and mobilising all options to bring the crew back safely.

The 6.7-metre-long submersible reportedly went missing during a dive to the wreck site of the ill-fated passenger liner Titanic at a depth of 3,800 metres off the coast of Newfoundland.

The craft has adequate oxygen reserves to sustain the crew for a maximum of four days.