A submersible went missing in the area of the Titanic wreck in the North Atlantic on Monday, setting off a search-and-rescue operation by the US Coast Guard, according to the agency and the company operating the craft.

Petty Officer Lourdes Putnam confirmed that Coast Guard officials were searching for the submersible, which is operated by OceanGate Expeditions. It was not clear how many people were on board the vessel, and officer Putnam offered no further details.

OceanGate, a company that takes paying tourists in submersibles to shipwrecks and underwater canyons, said on its website on Monday that an expedition was “currently underway”. The company’s website said its submersibles carry five people.

In a statement after the submersible went missing, the company said that it was exploring all options to bring the crew back safely.

“Our entire focus is on the crew members in the submersible and their families,” a statement said. “We are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to reestablish contact with the submersible.”

The US Coast Guard in Boston did not return messages sent by The AP. However, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, said a Canadian military aircraft and a Canadian Coast Guard vessel are assisting the search effort.

The Titanic sank in 1912 on its maiden voyage from England to New York after hitting an iceberg, killing more than 1,500 people.

The wreckage was found in 1985, broken into two main sections, about 644km off Newfoundland, in eastern Canada, and has since attracted the attention of experts and amateurs alike. OceanGate has offered tours of the Titanic in which guests paid $250,000 to travel to the wreckage on the seabed, more than 3km below the ocean’s surface.

The company’s website outlines an eight-day itinerary for the trip, setting out from the city of St John’s in Canada to the site of the Titanic wreck. The site also outlines a degree of training for the company’s customers, saying they receive “a vessel orientation and safety briefing” and are familiarised with “the vessel’s safety procedures”.

In 2021, OceanGate Expeditions began what is expected to become an annual voyage to chronicle the deterioration of the iconic ocean liner. The company said at the time that in addition to archaeologists and marine biologists, the expeditions also would include roughly 40 paid tourists.

New York Times News Service and AP/PTI