A British explorer who has journeyed the depths of the ocean and blasted off to space is feared to be among the crew of a missing submarine that set off to explore the wreckage of the Titanic that is now the subject of a search-and-rescue mission.
Hamish Harding, chairman of a Dubai-based company called Action Aviation, announced on social media over the weekend that he joined OceanGate Expeditions as a specialist for a journey to the Titanic’s remains some 2.5 miles down on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean about 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
“Due to the worst winter in Newfoundland in 40 years, this mission is likely to be the first and only manned mission to the Titanic in 2023,” said a post to Instagram. “A weather window has just opened up and we are going to attempt a dive tomorrow. We started steaming from St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada yesterday and are planning to start dive operations around 4am tomorrow morning. Until then we have a lot of preparations and briefings to do.”
BREAKING: One of the crew members on the commercial sub that has gone missing near the wreck of the Titanic has been named as Hamish Harding
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Brian Szasz, Harding’s stepson, posted to Facebook, asking people to pray for his stepfather, according to the Daily Mail. “Thoughts and prayers for my stepfather Hamish Harding as his Submarine has gone missing exploring Titanic. Search and rescue mission is underway,” the post said.
Harding, who is reportedly a resident of United Arab Emirates, is known for his adventures across the planet and beyond in recent years. He took part in a Blue Origin spaceflight, explored the ocean depths of the Mariana Trench, and visited the South Pole, the New York Post reported.
While it’s not clear how many people may be aboard the missing submarine, and who else may be part of the crew, the U.S. Coast Guard said that a search-and-rescue mission is underway, per NBC News. OceanGate Expeditions, a company which offers trips to the sunken Titanic wreckage for up to $250,000 per-person in vessels that can seat up to five people, released a statement expressing gratitude for the help in searching for the wayward ship.
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“Our entire focus is on the crew members 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,” the company said.