Hamish Harding family put 'great faith and trust' in Titanic submarine rescue

British businessman among five on missing submersible

The pilot of a Royal Canadian Air Force maritime surveillance aircraft flies over the Atlantic during the search for the missing OceanGate submersible. Reuters

A Royal Canadian Air Force serviceman drops sonar buoys from a surveillance aircraft. Reuters

Capt Jamie Frederick of the US coastguard speaks to reporters about the search for the submersible, during a press conference in Boston, Massachusetts. AFP

Carl Hartsfield, director and senior programme manager Oceanographic Systems Laboratory, faces reporters as Royal Navy Lt Cdr Rich Kantharia, left, and Capt Frederick look on during the news conference. AP

Inside the submersible vessel Titan on a previous dive. The vessel is used to visit the wreckage site of the Titanic. PA

Titan went missing on a dive to the Titanic wreck site this week. PA

Businessman Shahzada Dawood, the vice-chairman of Karachi conglomerate Engro, and his son Suleman are on board the missing sub. AFP

Paul-Henri Nargeolet, French explorer and director of a company that owns the rights to the Titanic wreck, is on board the submarine. Reuters

The Titan submersible was taking five people to view the wreck of the Titanic when it went missing. AP

UAE-based British space explorer Hamish Harding posted this image of himself in Canada a day before the expedition. Photo: Instagram

Mr Harding, a businessman, receives his Blue Origin astronaut pin after a successful flight to space in June 2022. AP

The submersible usually carries a pilot, three paying guests and a 'content expert'. It has enough oxygen for up to 96 hours. AP

The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, during its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, killing more than 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers on board. Getty

The wreck, which was located in 1985, sits 3,800 metres at the bottom of the Atlantic, about 600km off Newfoundland. AFP

LATEST: Time running out as search for missing Titanic submarine goes on

The family of a British explorer missing on a Titanic tourist submarine are putting their "trust and faith" in rescue operations and hope to welcome him home.

Hamish Harding, who turns 59 on Saturday, is one of five in a submersible that went on a deep-sea journey to explore the wreckage in the North Atlantic Ocean.

But contact was lost with the submarine, named Titan, a little more than an hour after the journey began on Sunday.

The vessel has about 40 hours of air left.

On Tuesday, a statement issued by Action Aviation, an aircraft brokerage company that Mr Harding owns, said the company and his family were grateful for the messages of support.

"Action Aviation herewith confirms that our esteemed chairman, Hamish Harding, is currently on board the Titan submersible at the Titanic site.

"Both the Harding family and the team at Action Aviation are very grateful for all the kind messages of concern and support from our friends and colleagues.

"We are thankful for the continued efforts of the authorities and companies that have stepped in to aid in the rescue efforts.

"We put great faith and trust in their expertise.

"The team at Action Aviation are extremely proud of Hamish and we look forward to welcoming him home. The Harding family and Action Aviation politely request privacy at this time."

Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman are also on board.

Reports said a French navy pilot, Paul-Henry Nargeolet, and the boss of tour company OceanGate, Stockton Rush, are also on the submarine.

The Titanic wreck lies on the seabed about 1,400km east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, at a depth of about 4km.

OceanGate offers $250,000 tours to see the remains of the Titanic, which sank in April 1912 after hitting an iceberg on its maiden voyage.

Mr Harding is known for his adventures, having reached the edge of space on a Blue Origin flight last year and explored the deepest point of the ocean in 2021.