Submarine With Dad of 2 Disappears Near Titanic Wreck - His Stepson Begs For Prayers

A submarine carrying a father of two has recently disappeared, leaving his family distraught and begging for prayers and answers. There is currently a search and rescue underway for the vehicle.

The submarine lost contact on Sunday, an hour and forty-five minutes into the dive. It was headed into the deep ocean to explore the Titanic wreck. There was only three days' worth of emergency oxygen on board.

A tour firm called OceanGate, which is also the owner of the submersible, is now exploring the area and aims to bring the crew back home safely. The submarine is called the Polar Prince, and the crew's families are pleading for prayers for their loved ones.

One of the crew members, a billionaire named Hamish Harding, has a stepson who has been vocal about his stepfather's disappearance. He took to Facebook recently to share the news that his stepfather has been missing since Sunday.

Harding's stepson, Brian, shared an article about the submarine and said that he was keeping his stepfather in his thoughts and prayers as they waited to hear of the crew's safe return home. Many people sent their love and prayers on the post.

As news broke, many were shocked to hear that something like this had happened, as others thought that no vehicle should be exploring the wreck because it is a "maritime grave" and should be left alone.

Many voiced that although they hoped the submarine would be recovered and Harding and others in the crew would be returned home safely, they did not believe that the Titanic wreck should be a tourist attraction for wealthy people.

Who Is Hamish Harding and His Family?

Harding is a private jet dealer who has made billions over the years, and his latest adventure in a submarine to explore the Titanic wreck is said to be just one of many such escapades for the successful businessman.

Harding has been to the South Pole and space and has even set three world records. When Harding went to space, he was aboard Blue Origin's fifth flight with a human crew.

One of the world records Harding set was the longest time spent at full ocean depth during a dive he did in the Mariana's Trench's deepest portion.

Most recently, Harding took to social media to announce that his ship would be leaving from St. John's in Newfoundland, Canada, and was headed for the Titanic wreck.

He and the crew planned to begin their exploration aboard the submersible at 4 a.m. local time on Sunday. He described being "proud" that he was finally able to share the news that he would be going on this expedition.

Newfoundland is currently having its worst winter in 40 years, and because of that, Harding said it was likely that would be the only manned mission to the wreck in 2023. He then shared:

"A weather window has just opened up, and we are going to attempt a dive tomorrow."

On Sunday, after Harding had boarded the submersible, Action Aviation confirmed it had been a successful launch and that Harding was diving at that point.

Harding is currently based in the United Arab Emirates and has two children named Rorry and Giles. He also has a wife named Linda and two stepchildren named Lauren and Brian.

Previously, Harding, 58, was an International Space Station commander. He is also said to be an avid explorer and has been on many escapades like the one he is on right now.

Others on board with Harding are Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, and Stockton Rush.

Nargeolet is the director of underwater research for RMS Titanic, Inc. This incorporation facilitates dive into the wreck to exhume artifacts. He has completed 35 dives in a submersible to the wreck and has been led many expeditions to the wreck.

Dawood is a Pakistani businessman based in the UK and is vice-chairman of Dawood Hercules Corporation, his family business. He is one of the richest men in Pakistan and is a trustee of the SETI Institute, aimed at finding extraterrestrial life. He is also a husband and a father of two. His wife is Christine, and his children are Alina and Suleman, 19.

Rush is the CEO and founder of OceanGate. He trained as a pilot, and at 19, he became the youngest jet transport-rated pilot. Even as the wait continues, the families and friends of all those aboard have thanked the public for their kind words and prayers.

More About The Expedition

OceanGate, the company that facilitates the dives into the Titanic wreck, charges guests $250,000 for an eight-day exploration of the site. The wreck is 12,500ft below sea level at the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean.

The bow and the stern of the ship are situated 2,600ft apart from each other, and the dive to the wreck takes eight hours. OceanGate says that each expedition must include a scientific objective.

The first dive took place in 2021, and the dives have been successful since then. While the dives are well-organized and overseen, the public has not been pleased about this.

After news of the disappearance of Harding's submersible broke, people began sharing their feelings about people diving into the Titanic wreck site in the first place. Some were upset that money was being made of the Titanic disaster, with one lamenting:

"Personally, I think it's wrong. The ship and those that died should be left in peace."

The commenter then said they hoped the submersible would be found but that when it was, any expeditions to the Titanic wreck should be stopped for good. Another thought, with the disaster, the wreck might be trying to pass a message.

One commenter wondered why people would pay large sums of money to make a risky trip undersea, knowing that people had passed away on the wreck many years ago.

There has been no further news on the submersible at the time of writing. We wish the families and loved ones of those on board peace and good news in the days to come.