TRAPPED IN THE DEPTHS

Race to save Brit adventurer in crew of 5 on missing submersible at Titanic wreck

- CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN

RESCUERS are racing against time to find a British explorer and four others trapped in a submersible near the Titanic wreck site.

Billionaire Hamish Harding, 58, is part of a crew stuck under the Atlantic with only enough oxygen to last until 6am on Thursday, UK time - if its supply has not been compromised.

Also thought to be among those on board is French dive expert Paul-Henry Nargeolet, 73, and the CEO of the submersible firm, Stockton Rush.

The US Coast Guard in Boston is leading search efforts 435 miles south of St John's in Newfoundland, Canada.

The Titan craft takes tourists on trips costing up to £195,000 to view the wreck, 3,800m below the surface.

The crew usually sends signals to its mothership every 15 minutes but made no contact with the support vessel for more than eight hours.

The US Coast Guard said it got an SOS call on Sunday and that two aircraft and a ship were searching for five people at the scene last night. One aircraft - a P-8 Poseidon - is able to search and detect submarines underwater. Mr Harding announced on Saturday that he was joining the expedition, which followed a spell of bad weather.

US firm OceanGate expeditions, Titan's owner, St John's said it is "exploring 400 miles Titanic and mobilising all options to bring the crew back safely".