The five people aboard a missing submersible which disappeared during a deep sea trip to explore the Titanic have been named. Those identified so far include British billionaire Hamish Harding, French submersible pilot Paul-Henry Nargeolet and CEO of OceanGate Expeditions Stockton Rush, reports The Mirror.
British based Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son Sulaiman Dawood, 19, are both also confirmed to be on the vessel."
The five man group was taking part in a trip to explore the shipwreck of the Titanic when contact with the submersible they were travelling in was lost. A rescue operation is currently under way deep in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, said the vessel was reported overdue on Sunday evening about 435 miles south of St John’s, Newfoundland. OceanGate Expeditions, confirmed the search was being carried out for its five-person submersible and said its focus is on those aboard the vessel and their families.
It is understood contact was lost with the 22ft vessel just one hour and 45 minutes into the trip. According to US Coast Guard officials the submarine has only sufficient oxygen to last until Thursday.
On Tuesday the identities of those on board began to emerge. These included billionaire Hamish Harding who was confirmed as one of the missing men by his stepson in a Facebook post. He asked for "thoughts and prayers" for the 58-year-old and his family.
Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son Sulaiman are Pakistani nationals but understood to live in Surrey in the UK. Their 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." It added: "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." Mr Dawood is a business advisor who also serves on the board for Prince's Trust International.
According to Sky News, two other passengers are Paul-Henry Nargeolet and Stockton Rush. Mr Nargeolet, 73, is the Director of Underwater Research Program at Premier Exhibitions, RMS Titanic, Inc. He previously warned of the extreme dangers of deep-sea exploration.
He said: "If you are 11m or 11km down, if something bad happens, the result is the same. When you're in very deep water, you're dead before you realise that something is happening, so it's just not a problem."
The eight-day expedition to the site of the famous wreck costs around $250,000 (£195,270) per person. The trip on OceanGate Expeditions' carbon-fibre submersible is described as a "chance to step outside of everyday life and discover something truly extraordinary."
The submersible can seat five people, according to the company, including a pilot, three paying guests and a "content expert." The dive to the wreck, including descent and ascent, takes around eight hours in total.
The wreckage lies around 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, and around 3,800m below the surface. The ship now lies in two parts, with the bow and stern separated by around 800m, and a huge field of debris around the vessel.
The crew on board the missing submersible had made no contact with the support crew for more than eight hours. Usually, signals would be sent to the mother ship every 15 minutes.
The crew has an oxygen supply which will last 96 hours. If the submersible's oxygen supply has not been damaged, the crew have until around 6am UK time on Thursday, June 22, until it runs out.
