Who were the 5 people killed aboard the OceanGate Titanic submarine?

2024-01-02 19:00:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Five true explorers who shared a unique spirit of adventure and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world's oceans passed away on June 22 this year.

The five passengers aboard the lost submarine were killed when the ship suffered a catastrophic explosion.

Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood, his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding and Paul-Henri Nargeolet were aboard the vessel that launched the deep-diving tour, according to OceanGate. Their families were notified after the wreckage was found at the bottom of the ocean, according to the Coast Guard.

Here is what is known about the victims.

Hamish Harding

Who were the 5 people killed aboard the OceanGate Titanic submarine?

Hamish Harding was no stranger to exploration.

Harding explored Earth in 2019. He made a dive in 2021 to the deepest point on earth, Challenger Deep, in the Mariana Trench. And he traveled to space last year aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard.

Harding, a British businessman and chairman of Action Aviation, predicted his dive to see the sinking of the Titanic in a Facebook post.

"Due to Newfoundland's worst winter in 40 years, this mission will likely be the first and only manned mission on the Titanic in 2023," he posted.

On Thursday afternoon, Harding's family and Action Aviation released a statement saying they were "united in grief with other families who have also lost loved ones on the Titan submarine."

Shahzada and Suleman Dawood

Shahzada Dawood was the vice chairman of Engro Corporation Limited, a large business headquartered in Karachi, Pakistan. Suleman Daëood is his son, the family said in a statement.

The Dawoods were both British citizens, according to a colleague.

Shahzada Dawood, a husband and father of two, enjoyed photography, gardening and exploring natural habitats.

Paul-Henri Nargeolet

Who were the 5 people killed aboard the OceanGate Titanic submarine?

Paul-Henri Nargeolet, known as PH, a Titanic diver and researcher, was among the passengers. He was director of Underwater Research on RMS Titanic Inc., according to the company.

Nargeolet led six expeditions to the site of the Titanic, most recently in 2010.

Stockton Rush

According to OceanGate's website, Stockton Rush "oversees OceanGate's financial and engineering strategies and provides a clear vision for the development of 4,000-meter (13,123-foot) and 6,000-meter (19,685-foot) capable crewed submersibles and launch and recovery platforms their partners."

Rush, who studied aerospace engineering at Princeton University and received an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, "has written numerous engineering articles on manned submersible vehicles in underwater operations," OceanGate's website said./ CNA