A US Coast Guard vessel sits in port in Boston Harbor across from the US Coast Guard Station Boston in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 19, 2023. – A submersible vessel used to take tourists to see the wreckage of the Titanic in the North Atlantic has gone missing, triggering a search-and-rescue operation, the US Coast Guard said on June 19, 2023. It was not immediately known how many people are on the vessel, operated by a company called OceanGate Expeditions. “Yes, we’re searching for it,” said an official from the US Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Boston. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP)
All five passengers onboard missing Titanic submersible named, including father and son
Searchers are continuing to scour the North Atlantic for a missing submersible that was due to take passengers to visit the Titanic wreckage.
A US Coast Guard vessel sits in port in Boston Harbor across from the US Coast Guard Station Boston in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 19, 2023. – A submersible vessel used to take tourists to see the wreckage of the Titanic in the North Atlantic has gone missing, triggering a search-and-rescue operation, the US Coast Guard said on June 19, 2023. It was not immediately known how many people are on the vessel, operated by a company called OceanGate Expeditions. “Yes, we’re searching for it,” said an official from the US Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Boston. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP)
Searchers are continuing to scour the North Atlantic for a missing submersible that had been due to take five passengers to visit the Titanic wreckage.
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Fears for the safety of those onboard are growing as the vessel only has oxygen for up to 96 hours (4 days).
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According to reports, there are no South Africans among those on the submersible who each paid a reported $250 000 (R4.6 million) to secure a seat.
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Who is on board?
One of the passengers has been identified as British businessman Hamish Harding, whose aviation firm had posted on social media about his expedition.
Harding, a 58-year-old aviator, space tourist, and chairperson of Action Aviation, had posted on Sunday on his Instagram account that he was proud to join OceanGate’s Titanic mission.
Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood are also on the craft.
“As of now, contact has been lost with their submersible craft and there is limited information available,” their family said in a statement.
Shahzada Dawood is the vice-chairperson of Karachi-headquartered conglomerate Engro, which has investments in energy, agriculture, petrochemicals and telecommunications
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France’s Paul-Henry Nargeolet, a veteran diver and expert on the Titanic wreck, was also part of the Titan crew, Harding said in his post.
British OceanGate founder and CEO Stockton Rush was also on board, media reported.
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Why visit the Titanic?
The 46 000-tonne liner hit an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage from England to New York in April 1912 with 2 224 passengers and crew on board.
More than 1 500 people died.
