Last Updated: June 20, 2023, 00:57 IST
United States of America (USA)
On Monday, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, reported that a vessel was overdue approximately 700 kilometers south of St. John’s, Newfoundland. Hamish Harding is on the left. (Image: Instagram)
OceanGate Expeditions confirmed the search for its five-person submersible, emphasizing the well-being of those on board and their families
A 59-year-old British billionaire businessman is said to be aboard the missing submarine being searched in the Atlantic Ocean after it lost contact while exploring the wreckage of the Titanic.
Hamish Harding, who studied Natural Sciences and Chemical Engineering at Cambridge University and holds an Airline Transport Pilots License, gained attention as a space tourist on a Blue Origin flight.
Harding also holds the Guinness World Record for circumnavigating the earth via the North and South Poles, BBC reported.
Currently serving as the chairman of Action Aviation, a Dubai-based company in the business aviation industry, Harding expressed his intention to join the team exploring the Titanic wreck in June of last year.
A search and rescue operation is underway for a missing submersible operated by a company that handles expeditions to the Titanic wreckage off the coast of St John’s, Newfoundland, in Canada.Follow live updates. https://t.co/RCnS9cwnM2
— CNN (@CNN) June 19, 2023
Earlier, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, reported that a vessel was overdue approximately 700 kilometers south of St. John’s, Newfoundland, on Sunday evening.
OceanGate Expeditions confirmed the search for its five-person submersible, emphasizing the well-being of those on board and their families.
The company expressed gratitude for the support received from government agencies and deep-sea companies and expressed its dedication to the safe return of the crewmembers.
David Concannon, an adviser to OceanGate, revealed that contact with the submersible was lost on Sunday morning.
He noted that the submersible had a 96-hour oxygen supply and that efforts were underway to deploy a remotely operated vehicle capable of reaching a depth of 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) to the site.
Action Aviation confirmed that Hamish Harding, the chairman of the company, was one of the tourists on board.
The US Coast Guard said it is searching for five people aboard a missing submersible near the Titanic wreckage, CNN reported. It added that US Coast Guard is “bringing all assets to bear” in searching for a submersible near the Titanic wreckage
Mark Butler, the company’s managing director, expressed hope for a successful rescue mission and stated that there was adequate survival equipment on board.
The expedition aimed to document the deterioration of the Titanic, with this being OceanGate’s third annual voyage to the iconic ocean liner’s wreckage. The group of tourists financing the expedition paid significant sums for their participation.
The trip was scheduled to depart from St. John’s, Newfoundland, in early May and conclude at the end of June. OceanGate had contracted the Canadian vessel Polar Prince to transport people and the submersible to the North Atlantic wreck site.
The Titan submersible, capable of diving 4,000 meters (13,120 feet) with a comfortable safety margin, was made of titanium and filament wound carbon fiber.
OceanGate highlighted its ability to withstand deep ocean pressures and its large viewport, providing an unrivaled view.
Retired Navy rear admiral Chris Parry described the rescue operation as challenging due to the undulating seabed, debris, and the location of the Titanic wreck in a trench.
(With AP inputs)
