On Sunday night, a state-of-the-art underwater vehicle with a crew of five was lost while en route to explore the Titanic wreckage. The disappearance occurred approximately 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Hamish Harding:
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According to his stepson, the chairman of aviation consultancy Action Aviation, a British billionaire, is reported missing. In social media posts, Dubai-based Harding expressed his pride in being chosen as a “mission specialist” for the Titanic expedition. He acknowledged that due to the severe winter conditions in Newfoundland, this mission is likely to be the sole manned exploration of the Titanic in 2023. However, a recent weather window has provided an opportunity for a dive scheduled for tomorrow.
In 2016, Harding accompanied renowned astronaut Buzz Aldrin to the South Pole, where Aldrin achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the oldest person to reach the Antarctic region at the age of 86. Furthermore, Harding participated in the “One More Orbit” flight mission in 2019, which successfully established a new record for the fastest circumnavigation of the Earth by aircraft over both geographic poles.
Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman:
The family of the individual in question has verified their presence on board. Shahzada holds the position of vice chairman in Engro Corporation, one of Pakistan’s major conglomerates, which has investments in diverse sectors such as fertilizers, vehicle manufacturing, energy, and digital technologies. As a trustee of the California-based research institute, SETI, his affiliation is mentioned on their website. Shahzada resides in Britain along with his wife and two children, as stated by the institute’s website.
Stockton Rush:
According to reports from the media, the founder and CEO of OceanGate, the U.S.-based company operating the submersible vessel, is among the individuals on board. The CEO, Rush, expressed his awe and admiration for the Titanic wreckage in an interview with Britain’s Sky News earlier this year, describing it as an incredibly stunning sight.
He shared the experience of descending and witnessing the grand staircase and the lingering presence of chandeliers. Rush’s biography on OceanGate’s website reveals that he achieved the distinction of becoming the world’s youngest jet transport-rated pilot in 1981 at the remarkable age of 19.
Paul Henri Nagerolet:
Media reports indicate that the individual aboard the submersible is a 77-year-old French explorer who holds the position of director of underwater research at a company that possesses the rights to the Titanic wreckage. With a background as a former commander in the French Navy, he brings extensive experience as both a deep diver and a mine sweeper.
Following his retirement from the Navy, he took charge of the initial expedition to recover artifacts from the Titanic in 1987, establishing himself as a prominent authority on the wreck site. During a 2020 interview with France Bleu radio, he openly discussed the perils associated with deep diving, expressing a philosophical perspective by stating, “I am not afraid to die, I think it will happen one day.”
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