Who are the five passengers on board missing Titanic submersible as rescue operation is underway in Atlantic?

An agonising wait for the families of five people trapped on the Titan submersible, which is believed to be missing within the vicinity of the Titanic wreck on the Atlantic Ocean floor, began when it was confirmed that the vessel went missing on 18 June.

At the depths that the submersible is believed to be, visibility without artificial light is zero, making the search very difficult. The submersible lost contact with the mothership less than two hours into the dive and is yet to be heard from since.

Experts believe that five people in the craft have between 70 and 96 hours worth of oxygen, and a deadline to locate the vessel has been set at 6am on Thursday 22 June (BST).

The wreck of the Titanic, which infamously sank on its maiden voyage in 1912, with more than 1,500 passengers losing their lives, is at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean around 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland.

The remote search area represents a huge challenge, and an underwater expert gave those missing a one percent chance of survival, though their families remain hopeful and every hour will be crucial.

Who are the passengers on the missing Titanic submersible?

Hamish Harding

British billionaire explorer and businessman Hamish Harding, 58, is known for being a crew pilot for the record-breaking flight mission with One More Orbit in 2019 which set a global record for the fastest circumnavigation of Earth by aircraft passing both poles. 

He has two teenage sons, Rory and Giles, who live with him in the United Arab Emirates, and two step-children. Harding’s stepson, Brian Szasz, shared on Facebook: "Thoughts and prayers for my stepfather Hamish Harding as his Submarine has gone missing exploring Titanic. Search and rescue mission is underway."

In a statement, his plane company, Action Aviation, described Captain Hamish Harding as: "a licensed air transport pilot, a living legend of aviation inducted in 2022, a three Guinness World Records-holder, an explorer and an entrepreneur".

He was an "extraordinarily accomplished individual", they said, who had successfully undertaken challenging expeditions, including the One More Orbit project - a record-breaking circumnavigation of the world - a flight to space with Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket as a commercial astronaut, and the reintroduction of cheetahs from Namibia to India.

“He has travelled on a submersible to the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench and has been to the South Pole a number of times," the company continued. “The team at Action Aviation are extremely proud of Hamish and we look forward to welcoming him home."

Paul-Henri Nargeolet

Nargeolet is a well-known ocean explorer from France - the 73 year old is known as Mr. Titanic because of his involvement in the exploration of the wreck. He has featured in several documentaries about the ill-fated vessel including Anatomy of a Disaster, Drain the Titanic, and Into the Heart of the Wreck.

He is believed to be the pilot of the Titanic sub which is currently feared lost at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, somewhere near the Titanic wreck, though a search and rescue mission continues. Nargeolet has two children and a grandson.

Stockton Rush

Rush, 61, is the CEO of OceanGate, the US company that hosts the submersible trips to the wreck for $250,000 a head, which he founded in 2009. He is believed to be another passenger on the missing submersible.

Rush had previously spoken about anxieties involved in travelling in a sub to depths of 12,500ft (2.35 miles) where the Titanic rests, saying that his greatest fear was something preventing the sub from returning to the surface.

Shahzada Dawood

Dawood, 48, is a British-based Pakistani businessman who sits as a board member of the Prince's Trust charity One of Pakistan’s richest men, he has a net worth of around $8 billion.

He is involved in several large companies, including chemical conglomerate Engro where he is the Vice Chairman, and SETI Insitute, a non-profit where he serves as a trustee. Tragically, Dawood’s only son Suleman, is also trapped on the Titan vessel. Dawood has a daughter, Alina, with his wife Christine.

The chief executive of Prince’s Trust International, Will Straw, said they are shocked by news one of their advisors was on the missing submersible. Mr Straw said: “Prince’s Trust International has a longstanding relationship with Shahzada Dawood and his family.

“We are shocked by this awful news, praying for a rescue and sending our thoughts to his family during this deeply challenging time”.

The charity said Mr Dawood has been an advisor to its international arm in “various capacities”, including the global advisory board, with a focus on its work in Pakistan. Mr Dawood’s father, Hussain Dawood, was a founding patron of Prince’s Trust International.

Suleman Dawood

Suleman is the 19 year old son of Shahzada, and by far the youngest person on the lost Titan craft. He is also a Pakistani national but is a student at Strathclyde University in Glasgow.

The Dawood family released a statement stating: "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."

Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy spoke about Suleman First Minister’s Questions in Holyrood: "I’m sure that everyone here will join me in sharing their thoughts with him and his family at this unprecedented and difficult time.”