Titanic tourist submarine goes missing in the Atlantic Ocean

A submersible used to take visitors on a tour of the Titanic wreck has gone missing in the Atlantic Ocean, the 1st District Northeast Coast Guard told the BBC on Monday.

Small submersibles, or watercrafts designed to operate underwater that may be different from a submarine, often take visitors on tours of the famous shipwreck.

The Titanic shipwreck sits 12,500 feet at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 380 nautical miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

It is unclear how the submersible may have gotten lost or if there were any people on board at the time but according to the report, there is a search and rescue mission underway.

The Independent has reached out to the US Coast Guard for comment.

The 1st District Northeast branch of the US Coast Guard is headquartered in Boston and is responsible for activities in North New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

It is not clear where in the ocean submersible may have gone missing.

In recent years, trips to view the Titanic shipwreck have become increasingly popular.

People can pay anywhere from $100,000 to $230,000 to join trained crewmembers on an eight-day trip to view the historic shipwreck.

The Titanic sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg while on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York, New York. Of the 2,200 people onboard, more than 1,500 died.

The US passed the Titanic Maritime Memorial Act in 1986, marking the RMS Titanic as an international maritime memorial, allowing for reasonable research, exploration and appropriate salvage activities.

So long as the research or exploration does not alter or disturb the Titanic, people may view it or research it.