A submarine vessel exploring the wreckage of the Titanic passenger liner went missing after losing contact with a research vessel that remained on the surface.
Five passengers are inside the submarine, which search-and-rescue operators said may hold enough oxygen for them to survive roughly three to four days inside. However, the depth of the Titanic’s location may make it difficult to locate the missing submersible, as rescue vessels may not be able to dive that far.
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A military surveillance aircraft reported underwater noises and banging sounds early Wednesday morning, although rescue officials did not say whether those noises could be identified. However, it offers a glimmer of hope to those awaiting the return of the passengers as crews race to retrieve the submersible before it runs out of oxygen.
Here’s what we know about the five passengers on board:
Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate
On board the vessel is Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, which is the company that owns and operates the Titan submarine used to explore the ship’s wreckage.
Rush founded the company in 2009, in which he oversees its financial and engineering operations and strategies. OceanGate began advertising expeditions to view the underwater scene of the Titanic in 2016, costing travelers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Rush was sued by a couple who accused the CEO of charging them for an expedition without the trip ever taking place, claiming he defrauded them of $210,258. The couple claimed the trip was postponed and then canceled in 2018 because the Titan submersible could not be certified to reach the proper diving depth in time for the expedition.
Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman
Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman were identified as passengers on the vessel after their family members posted about the pair on social media earlier this week.
Shahzada Dawood is the vice chairman of Dawood Hercules, a prominent investment company based in Pakistan. He currently resides in the United Kingdom with his 19-year-old son Suleman, as well as his wife and daughter.
“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,” their family said in a statement.
Hamish Harding
Also on board the craft is British businessman and billionaire Hamish Harding.
Harding is known for his position as the chairman of Action Aviation, a company that sells aircraft to Fortune 100 companies, as well as prominent figures in the entertainment and sports industries. He has also garnered headlines for his various adventure expeditions, as Harding was one of six people to join Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin mission last June.
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Paul-Henri Nargeolet
French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, often referred to as “Titanic’s Greatest Explorer,” is also included on the list of travelers stranded in the vessel.
Nargeolet is known as an expert on the Titanic, according to OceanGate, as the explorer has led six expeditions to view the ship’s wreckage. The explorer also heads the division of underwater research for RMS Titanic, the company that owns the salvage rights to the ship’s wreck.
