Hamish Harding, chairman of aircraft firm Action Aviation
British adventurer Hamish Harding, chairman of aircraft firm Action Aviation, is reported missing on a submersible that was diving to the wreck of the Titanic. Harding, known for his exploration achievements, including flying to space and holding three Guinness World Records, was part of a crew planning to start diving operations to the Titanic wreck off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The submersible, operated by OceanGate, lost contact about one hour and 45 minutes into its dive.
Efforts are underway to locate and rescue the crew. The US Coast Guard has deployed a highly-sophisticated P-8 Poseidon aircraft with underwater detection capabilities, while Canadian armed forces and commercial vessels are also involved in the search. Sonar buoys have been dropped to listen for underwater noise and scan the ocean for any signs of the submersible. The UK’s Foreign Office is in contact with Harding’s family.
The eight-day trip to the Titanic wreck, organized by OceanGate Expeditions, costs $250,000 per person and involves an approximately 370-mile journey to the site on a larger ship, followed by an eight-hour dive in a truck-sized submersible named Titan. The submersible is designed to carry five people and has life support for 96 hours.
Hamish Harding’s previous adventures include visiting the South Pole multiple times, flying into space on Blue Origin’s fifth human-crewed flight in 2022, and setting three world records. The Titanic, which sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg on its maiden voyage, lies 3,800 meters beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, about 600 kilometers off the coast of Newfoundland.
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