A search and rescue mission is underway for a tourist submarine that went missing while exploring the area where the Titanic sank. The submersible, with five people on board, including British businessman Hamish Harding, disappeared on Sunday in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of North America. The Chief Executive of OceanGate Expeditions, Stockton Rush, was also on board, according to reports. The missing pilot is accompanied by four deep-sea specialists. The company has assured that they are exploring all options to bring the crew back safely.
Harding had announced his participation in the mission on Saturday and shared on Instagram that he would be joining French oceanographer Paul-Henri Nargeolet on the mission. However, it remains unclear if he had been on the sub at the time of the disappearance.
Le Parisien reported that Harding is the CEO of Action Aviation, and his company declined to comment on the situation when contacted by AFP. His company confirmed that he is one of the few tourists to have been to space, according to The Guardian.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, Canada, received the submersible’s signal at 9:13 PM on Sunday. The sub was 700 km off Newfoundland, the easternmost province of Canada. The US Coast Guard has taken charge of the search, with a Canadian Coast Guard vessel and military aircraft actively involved in the search. Canadian authorities confirmed that the search area has been mobilized, and the vessel has left Newfoundland for the operation.
