The Polar Prince ship moored in Vancouver, British Columbia. File/AP

US and Canadian ships and planes searched for a submarine that went missing more than a day earlier off the coast of southeastern Canada while taking tourists to explore the wreckage of the Titanic, officials said. The US Coast Guard said there was one pilot and four passengers on board and that the vessel had the capacity to be submerged for 96 hours, but it was unclear whether it was still underwater or had surfaced and was unable to communicate.

US and Canadian ships and planes have swarmed the area about 900 miles (1,450 km) east of Cape Cod, some dropping sonar buoys that can monitor to a depth of 13,000 feet (3,962 metres), US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger told reporters on Monday. "It is a remote area and it is a challenge to conduct a search in that remote area," Mauger said.

"We are deploying all available assets to make sure that we can locate the craft and rescue the people on board," he said. "Going into this evening we will continue to fly aircraft and move additional vessels." Mauger said officials have also been reaching out to commercial vessels for help. The private company that operates the submarine, OceanGate Expeditions, said in a statement on Monday that it was "mobilising all options" to rescue those on board.

The US Coast Guard said earlier on Twitter that a boat on the surface – the Polar Prince – lost contact with the submarine, called the Titan, about one hour and 45 minutes after it began diving toward the site of the Titanic's wreckage on Sunday morning. OceanGate 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."