The Titan, a submersible operated by OceanGate, has gone missing during an expedition to explore the wreck of the RMS Titanic in the North Atlantic. This submersible, not a submarine, requires a mother ship for deployment and retrieval. However, contact was lost approximately 435 miles south of St. John’s, Newfoundland, shortly after it was deployed. Intensive search efforts involving armed forces, surface vessels, submarines, sonar buoys, and aircraft have been launched by Canada and the U.S. to locate the missing vessel, believed to be around 900 miles east of Cape Cod.

The Titan had five people onboard, including OceanGate’s founder, a billionaire adventurer, a maritime expert, and a British Pakistani businessman accompanied by his son. As the search continues, concerns are mounting due to the limited air supply on board. It is estimated that the vessel has around 40 hours of breathable air remaining, with oxygen expected to run out around 6 a.m. on Thursday morning.

The decision to explore the Titanic wreck has sparked questions about the purpose and safety of such expeditions. Titanic tours have become a lucrative sector of the tourism industry, attracting researchers, historians, and enthusiasts interested in the ship’s artifacts and lore. However, controversies surround the pillaging of the wreck and the preservation of its rapidly deteriorating remains.

Prior to the expedition, there were concerns raised about the safety and design of the Titan. A former employee had filed a lawsuit, citing concerns about the vessel’s construction, and a group of marine-exploration leaders expressed worries about the company’s safety testing. These concerns centered about the refusal to have the vessel inspected by an accredited agency and the dissemination of potentially misleading information about its safety standards.

Amidst the serious situation, social media has been flooded with memes and jokes, providing a somewhat darkly humorous take on the incident. Additionally, a stepson of one of the passengers received criticism for attending a concert and making an inappropriate Facebook post.

As the search for the missing submersible continues, hopes remain that it will be located in time to prevent a potential tragedy in the depths of the North Atlantic.