Who Is Hamish Harding? All About the British Billionaire Missing on the Titanic Sub

Harding is one of the five passengers aboard OceanGate's missing Titan submersible

Following the disappearance of the Titan submersible, the United States Coast Guard is racing against time to search for and rescue the five passengers aboard the vessel.

On June 18, the submersible operated by OceanGate set out for an expedition to visit the site of the Titanic wreckage. However, nearly two hours into the dive, the crew of the Canadian expedition vessel Polar Prince lost contact with the submersible, per the United States Coast Guard. A search for the Titan began shortly after.

Though authorities have not officially released the names of those on the exploration vessel, PEOPLE has confirmed their identities. Among them include British billionaire Hamish Harding, who has been on several explorations over the years, including a trip to space.

In fact, just before embarking on the expedition, Harding had detailed some of the risks involved with the trip to retired NASA astronaut Colonel Terry Virts.

Virts shared the final text message he received from Harding during an appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, according to the New York Post.

“Hey, we’re headed out tomorrow, it looks good, the weather’s been bad so they’ve been waiting for this,” the 58-year-old billionaire wrote, according to Virts, who said his friend undoubtedly “understood the risks” of the dangerous adventure.

Read ahead for everything to know about Harding.

He’s based in the United Arab Emirates

Per a previous feature with Business Aviation Magazine, Harding grew up in Hong Kong with his parents but currently resides in the United Arab Emirates.

He studied at Cambridge University

Harding studied at Cambridge University, receiving degrees in natural sciences and chemical engineering, per Nasa Space Flight.

He’s a pilot

While studying at Cambridge University, Harding told Business Aviation Magazine, he received his private pilot’s license in 1985. He added that in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, he “transitioned from piloting light aircraft to piloting jets.”

He’s the chairman of Action Aviation

Since 2004, Harding has been a chairman for Action Aviation, a global sales company that “offers a wide range of services including aircraft brokerage, aircraft management and aircraft financing,” per their website.

He’s been to space

Harding has been on several explorations over the years, including visiting the South Pole several times (once with Buzz Aldrin) and going to space as part of the suborbital Blue Origin NS-21 mission in June 2022.

He’s a father

Harding regularly posts photos with his tight-knit family on social media. In particular, he has gone on many adventures with his son Giles, who deems himself a “teen explorer” on Instagram.

Shortly after the Titan went missing, Harding’s stepson Brian Szasz, from his wife’s previous relationship, confirmed that Harding was aboard the vessel as he asked for “thoughts and prayers” in a since-deleted post captured by the New York Post.

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