Missing Titanic submersible: What to know about the five passengers

Posted By: Ashley Smith
June 20, 2023 @ 7:00 am
Local News

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Ralph White/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Hamish Harding, one of the five people aboard a submersible missing near the Titanic wreck, is no stranger to exploration.

Harding circumnavigated the Earth in 2019, he said on Facebook. He made a dive in 2021 to the deepest point on earth, Challenger Deep, in the Mariana Trench. And he traveled into space last year aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard.

Now he’s one of five passengers aboard the missing OceanGate Inc. tourist submersible, for which the U.S. Coast Guard and others have launched a round-the-clock search.

“Our entire focus is on the wellbeing of the crew and every step possible is being taken to bring the five crew members back safely,” OceanGate said as part of an emailed statement.

The submersible, which last pinged in a location close to the Titanic wreck, was designed with life support to sustain five crew members for 96 hours.

Here’s what we know about the people onboard:

Hamish Harding

Harding, a British businessman and chairman of Action Aviation, previewed his dive to see the Titanic shipwreck in a Facebook post.

“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,” he posted on Sunday. “A weather window has just opened up and we are going to attempt a dive tomorrow.”

Shahzada and Suleman Dawood

Shahzada Dawood is vice chairman of Engro Corporation Limited, a sprawling business headquartered in Karachi, Pakistan. Suleman Dawood is his son, the family said in a statement.

“Our son Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman, had embarked on a journey to visit the remnants of the Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean. As of now, contact has been lost with their submersible craft and there is limited information available,” the Dawood family said.

The statement continued: “A rescue effort that is being jointly led by multiple government agencies and deep-sea companies is underway to reestablish contact with the submersible and bring them back safely. We are very grateful for the concern being shown by our colleagues and friends and would like to request everyone to pray for their safety while granting the family privacy at this time. The family is well looked after and are praying to Allah for the safe return of their family members.”