BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Businessman and renowned explorer Hamish Harding is reportedly among the five people who went missing after their submarine disappeared while they were being transported to the Titanic wreckage. The 58-year-old British millionaire's family confirmed that he was aboard the OceanGate Expeditions submarine that vanished on Monday, June 19.
"Thoughts and prayers for my stepfather Hamish Harding as his Submarine has gone missing exploring Titanic. Search and rescue mission is underway," his stepson Brian Szasz wrote on Facebook a day after Harding shared a picture of himself celebrating the expedition by signing a banner. "We started steaming from St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada yesterday and are planning to start dive operations around 4.00 am tomorrow morning. Until then we have a lot of preparations and briefings to do," he wrote.
Who is Hamish Harding?
Harding is a famous world explorer who has won three Guinness World Records for his challenging exploits. The father of two is the chairman of an international aircraft brokerage named Action Aviation which is based in the United Arab Emirates. He was one of the eight astronauts who celebrated the 50th anniversary of the landing of Apollo 11 by breaking the record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe in 2019, according to the New York Post.
On June 4, 2022, Harding was among the six astronauts who took the ride aboard Blue Origin's fifth human spaceflight, NS-21 which was launched using the New Shepard rocket. Harding and retired naval officer Victor Vescovo also made world records for the greatest time spent at full ocean depths and greatest length covered at full ocean depths for their 12-hour mission by reaching Mariana Trench's deepest point in 2021.
Alongside Jeff Bezos, Kenn, Ricci, and Tom Cruise, Harding also received the third annual European Living Legends of Aviation in 2022.
Active search for the missing submarine is underway
According to the Boston Coast Guard, an active search for the missing submarine was underway. The OceansExpeditions is the only company that gives tourists a chance to visit the Titanic wreckage 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada with tickets costing $250,000.
Following the incident, the company confirmed that the submarine, which is capable of carrying five people, vanished at about 12,500 at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. "Our entire focus is on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families. We are exploring and mobilizing all options to bring the crew back safely," the company said in a statement.
