Search Continues for Missing Submersible Near Titanic Wreckage

Rescuers are searching for a missing submersible near the wreck of the Titanic after it disappeared while taking five people deep into the ocean to visit the century-old wreck as part of a tourist expedition.

The submersible, Titan, has a 96-hour air supply and began its descent at 8 a.m. on Sunday.

The company's specifications state that the submersible has 96 hours of air, but experts say the air supply depends on a range of factors, including whether the submersible remains intact and still has power.

The wreck of the British ocean liner lies on the seabed at a depth of about 12,500 feet, and rescuers from the U.S., Canada, and France have searched a vast expanse of the ocean for the Titan.

The company's former director of marine operations claimed he was fired for voicing concerns that the hull could not withstand extreme depths, but the company and Lochridge settled their court case in November 2018.

The Titan, a submersible, has gone missing with several people on board, including some missing Titanic passengers that a former Titan passenger named Aaron Newman knows.

Newman felt safe during his dive, but experts say it would be challenging to spot the Titan in the open water or to effect a sub-to-sub rescue on the seabed if it is stuck.

A French research ship carrying a deep-sea diving robot submersible is expected to arrive later on Wednesday.

The robot can dive as deep as the Titanic wreck and could help free the submersible or hook it to a ship on the surface that is able to lift it up.

The sinking of the Titanic has long been a popular topic in books and films, renewed by the 1997 movie "Titanic." The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles were followed in reporting the story.