- A British billionaire, who is also an esteemed explorer, was aboard the missing Titanic submersible.
- Hamish Harding, known for his record-breaking accomplishments, including a spaceflight on Blue Origin, was on the submersible.
- The submersible, which was taking tourists to explore the Titanic shipwreck, went missing on Sunday.
A British billionaire and renowned explorer, Hamish Harding, was among the passengers aboard the missing submersible that was en route to explore the Titanic wreckage. Notably, Harding had previously embarked on a space journey with Blue Origin.
The Titan submersible, carrying Harding and four other passengers, lost communication with its mother ship on Sunday during the visit to the Titanic wreckage. Efforts are currently underway to locate and retrieve the lost submersible, but time is running out as the crew could run out of oxygen by Thursday afternoon if the vessel remains intact.
Harding, aged 58, is no stranger to extreme tourism and adventure. He is part of an exclusive group of privately-paying space tourists who have experienced missions in orbit. In addition, he boasts several Guinness World Records, including the longest time spent navigating the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean, and the fastest flight circumnavigating the globe, crossing both poles.
Last year, Harding reached an altitude of 66.5 miles above Earth during a 10-minute suborbital flight on Blue Origin’s New Shepherd rocket. You can visualize Harding’s space journey here:
Furthermore, Harding has made significant contributions to polar exploration, participating in record-breaking missions to the South Pole. In 2016, he joined astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who became the oldest person to reach the pole. Harding also accompanied his 12-year-old son, Giles Harding, in a mission where Giles became the youngest person to reach the pole, according to Forbes.
In addition to his aviation and exploration endeavors, Harding is a skydiver and a trustee of the Explorers Club, as reported by The Guardian.
Following his deep dive in the Mariana Trench in August 2021, Harding expressed enthusiasm for future missions and adventures on social media, stating, “Can’t believe it’s been that long already but absolutely can’t wait for our next mission/journey/adventure! #OneMoreRecord.”
Blue Origin
Harding, who made his fortune in aircraft sales and is a skilled pilot, revealed on Instagram that he would be joining the OceanGate expedition as their mission specialist onboard the Titan submersible. He noted that due to harsh winter conditions in Newfoundland, this mission is likely to be the only one to the Titanic in 2023.
Although Harding is widely reported to be a billionaire, his exact net worth remains unknown, according to Forbes. His stepson, Brian Szasz, confirmed his disappearance through social media posts on Facebook and Twitter.
In a Facebook post, Szasz appealed for prayers and expressed hope for a successful rescue mission to find Harding, who is lost in the submarine.