A lawyer with almost 40 years of scuba diving experience has had a narrow escape after revealing he was supposed to be on board the Titanic submarine which has gone missing in the Atlantic.
David Concannon is an attorney and explorer who started diving at the age of 14. In the late 1980s he went on to become a 'New Jersey wreck diver' exploring a multitude of shipwrecks.
In a message shared on social media, he said: "Dear Friends, Re: Titanic. As I posted last week I was supposed to be on this expedition and, indeed, on this dive, but I had to cancel to attend to another urgent client matter.
"Last night, I was called and asked to provide whatever assistance I could to ensure the safe return of everyone in the sub. Of course, I immediately agreed.
"I know you are concerned for the safety of me and everyone at sea, but PLEASE STOP calling, texting, messaging, sending carrier pigeons and all other forms of communication during this critical time. You are interfering with more important communications that need to be made to resolve this situation as quickly and as safely as possible. Thank you!"
The message comes after a submersible used to take tourists to view the wreck of the Titanic went missing off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The Boston Coastguard confirmed that a search and rescue operation is underway.
It's believed there were five people aboard the submersible, which takes paying tourists down to see the sunken wreck of the Titanic around 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland in small submarines. OceanGate Expeditions, a private company which organises deep-sea expeditions, has confirmed in a statement it owns the missing submersible.
In a statement, they said: "We are exploring and mobilising all options to bring the crew back safely. Our entire focus is on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families.
"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. We are working toward the safe return of the crewmembers."
The company charges $250,000 (£195,270) per person on its eigh-day expedition to the site of the famous wreck, which lies around 3,800m below the ocean surface.
After its discovery in 1985, the wreck has been explored extensively by both divers and submarine crews. The ship now lies in two parts, with the bow and stern separated by around 800m, and a huge field of debris around the vessel.
The submersible can seat five people, according to the company, including a pilot, three paying guests and a "content expert." The dive to the wreck, including descent and ascent, takes around eight hours in total - two hours to descend and ascend allowing several hours of exploration of the huge vessel.
