A submarine engaged in a tourism expedition to explore the wreckage of the Titanic has gone missing off the southeastern coast of Canada. Daryo reports that the search and rescue is still underway.
While the authorities have not released the names of those on board, British businessman Hamish Harding, Pakistani billionaire Shahzada Dawood, his son Sulaiman Dawood, and French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet have been confirmed to be on board the craft.
The fifth individual is identified as Stockton Rush, the CEO and founder of Ocean Gate, the company leading the expedition. Despite multiple requests for comment, Ocean Gate has remained silent on the matter.
Hamish Harding, based in the United Arab Emirates, is an accomplished jet pilot and chairman of Action Aviation, an aircraft brokerage. Known for his extreme expeditions, Harding made headlines in 2019 as part of a flight crew that broke the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe via both poles. In 2020, he achieved another milestone by diving to the deepest known point in the world's oceans, Challenger Deep in the Pacific Ocean. Last year, he secured a seat on Blue Origin's space flight.
In addition to his aviation and diving accomplishments, Harding has embarked on record-breaking trips to the South Pole. In 2016, he accompanied astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and in 2020, he ventured to the South Pole with his son Giles, who became the youngest person to reach the spot at just 12 years old. As a founding member of the board of trustees of The Explorers Club, Harding has been involved in numerous prestigious discoveries.
The day before the vessel went missing, Harding wrote on social media that he was “proud to finally announce that I joined OceanGate Expeditions for their RMS TITANIC Mission as a mission specialist on the sub going down to the Titanic.”
Shahzada Dawood and his son Sulaiman Dawood, both prominent members of the Pakistani business community, were also on the ill-fated submersible. The Dawood family owns Dawood Hercules Corporation, one of the largest corporations in Pakistan, with interests in energy, petrochemicals, fertilizers, IT, and food and agriculture. Hussain Dawood, the family patriarch, heads the business, while Shahzada and his brother Abdul Samad lead various divisions. Shahzada Dawood is also a trustee of the SETI Institute in California and is involved in several charitable foundations.
French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet, renowned for his extensive experience exploring the Titanic, was scheduled to join the expedition. Nargeolet serves as the director of underwater research at RMS Titanic Inc., the company with exclusive salvage rights for artifacts from the ship. With 35 dives to the Titanic wreck and overseeing the recovery of 5,000 artifacts, Nargeolet's expertise is highly regarded. Having spent 22 years in the French Navy, rising to the rank of commander, his dedication to deep-sea exploration is unquestionable.
Stockton Rush, the chief executive of OceanGate, the firm which runs the Titanic voyages. He is an experienced engineer who has previously designed an experimental aircraft and worked on other small submersible vessels. Rush founded the company in 2009, offering customers a chance to experience deep sea travel, and made global headlines in 2021 when it began offering trips to the site of the Titanic wreck. For $250,000, his company offers passengers the opportunity to get an up-close glimpse of what remains of the famous ship.
The disappearance of the submersible has drawn worldwide attention, with people anxiously awaiting news on the fate of these remarkable individuals.
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