Hamish Harding, a British explorer, recently posted on Facebook with excitement about his upcoming trip to the ocean's depths to view the Titanic shipwreck.
He was boarding the ship that would take him to the wreck site from Newfoundland, an Atlantic Canadian province where it had been the worst winter in 40 years.
But according to Mr. Harding, "a weather window has just opened up.". And we're planning to try a dive tomorrow. ".
Five people are currently missing after their submersible lost contact with their mothership, a Canadian icebreaker ship called the Polar Prince, on Sunday. Mr. Harding is one of them.
The massive search and rescue operations to locate the missing vessel now include the city of St. John's, from which the Polar Prince sailed while dragging the submersible behind it.
While the US Coast Guard in Boston is leading the charge, more vessels will be stationed in St. John's Harbour as the mission progresses.
The city along the Atlantic coast is the one closest to the Titanic wreck, which is about 600 kilometers (372 miles) offshore.
According to a navy spokesperson, the US Navy's Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage System, which is capable of lifting and recovering large, bulky undersea objects, is due to land in St. John's on Tuesday evening.
Both the CCGS Terry Fox and the CCGS Ann Harvey of the Canadian Coast Guard are currently in the harbor. According to the Canadian defense department, both vessels are ready to go, loaded with personnel and search and rescue gear.
In order to determine how the province can further aid in the rescue effort, Newfoundland Premier Andrew Furey said to the BBC on Tuesday that he has been in touch with US Ambassador David Cohen.
According to Mr. Furey, "What is happening off our shores has us all very concerned, but we hope it will end with good news.".
We're not out of options, he said. "We certainly wish this rescue effort well. ".
Newfoundland and Labrador, located on the Atlantic coast of Canada, has a long and occasionally tragic history with the ocean due to its significant offshore oil and fishing industries.
The province has developed into a hub for researchers and people interested in the journey the Titanic took more than 100 years ago. Director James Cameron's 1997 blockbuster film brought renewed attention to this infamous maritime tragedy.
According to Larry Daley, a local who traveled to the wreck 20 years ago with Mr. Cameron, "St John's harbour has been a hub for expeditions for many years.".
According to the company OceanGate's website, trips to the Titanic had started leaving from St. John's as of 2021. OceanGate is the owner of the missing submersible.
Because of St. John's past, Mr. Daley claimed, the city is home to a variety of qualified mariners and other technicians who have in-depth knowledge of the often fickle waters of the Atlantic. He believes that their knowledge could be useful as the search for the missing submersible progresses.
