PortraitHis journey to the wreck of the Titanic is not his most extreme adventure – or even his deepest ocean expedition – but the family of British businessman Hamish Harding now hope, above all else, that he will come back safe and sound. The submarine he is on board remains untraceable and his chances of survival dwindle minute by minute. The whole world holds its breath. But who is Hamish Harding really? Portrait of a man who knew how to make his dreams a reality.
WATCH: A tourist submarine disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean.
“As a child, I often leafed through the Guinness Book of World Records and wondered how I was going to get into it myself. Yes, it was my dream. But I had ambitions, I didn’t want to break a stupid record like the number of rebounds with a ping-pong ball. This is what Hamish Harding said in an interview with the BBC a few years ago. Although he had to wait a while to get there, the British billionaire is now three times in the Guinness Book of Records. And not for small exploits.
On the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, he led a mission with eight astronauts and pilots between July 9 and July 11, flying Qatar Executive’s Gulfstream G650ER around the Earth via the North Poles and South in 46 hours 40 minutes and 22 seconds. A phenomenal record. In March 2021, he dived with fellow explorer Victor Vescovo deep into the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean known to date, aboard a two-seater submersible. This mission was the longest spent at such a depth (4 hours and 15 minutes) with the longest distance traveled (4,600 meters). In just 24 hours, he set two new records.
Such a submarine contains several safety features: it has a four-day supply of oxygen, water and emergency rations. The only catch? No other submarine can come to your aid in the event of a problem.
Hamish Harding
During an interview about his double world record, Hamish Harding was remarkably lucid about the risks associated with this type of adventure. In particular, he said that the Challenger Deep, the submarine he used to dive into the Mariana Trench, suffered a propeller problem during the expedition. “Such a submarine contains several safety features: it has a four-day supply of oxygen, water and emergency rations. The only catch? No other submarine can come to your aid in the event of a problem. No other craft is capable of navigating in such depths. The supply of food then becomes futile. If things go wrong, you won’t come back.”
I’m sure he stays calm.
Jannicke Mikkelsen, Wetenschapper
The Briton is an experienced and risk-aware adventurer. This is partly explained by his scientific training: he studied at the University of Cambridge, where he obtained degrees in natural sciences and chemical engineering. “They didn’t surface when expected, and we’re now busy considering all possible worst-case scenarios. But I’m sure Hamish stays calm. He knows exactly what he’s doing,” says Jannicke Mikkelsen, a friend of Hamish Harding and a Norwegian scientist.
For the expedition to the Titanic, the four participants paid 250,000 dollars (229,000 euros) each, a huge sum that only a privileged few can afford. Although not on Forbes’ list of billionaires, Harding is nonetheless regularly touted as a billionaire in the British media. His fortune is partly explained by his financial agreements with the United Arab Emirates. He is also the founder of Action Group and the chairman of Action Aviation, a private jet sales company based in Dubai. Last year, he was one of six astronauts to head into space on Blue Origin’s fifth manned flight aboard the New Shepard. Price of the trip: 300,000 dollars.
Two years ago, the explorer returned to the South Pole with his then 12-year-old son Giles, which allowed him to obtain the record for the youngest traveler in this mythical place. Harding is married to Linda, with whom he has another son, Rory. Linda is also the mother of two other children from a previous marriage. The Briton has always had a busy life, the secret of his happiness. “People tend to give up on their dreams, especially as they get older. But I love finding ways to turn my craziest ideas into reality.”
Dreams are not what Hamish Harding lacks. Before leaving for the expedition to the Titanic, the man was working on a project to set up a regular business jet service to Antarctica. To do this, he had partnered with White Desert, a company that organizes luxury adventures in Antarctica. Finally, he was also working with the Indian government on a project to reintroduce eight wild cheetahs from Namibia to India. A life led at 100 an hour.
Research continues
The US and Canadian Coast Guards are continuing the search on Tuesday for a missing tourist submersible with five passengers on board, including billionaire Hamish Harding and explorers, who have gone to visit the wreck of the Titanic off the coast of North America.
French Titanic specialist, oceanographer Paul-Henry Nargeolet, was also part of the expedition, according to Hamish Harding’s post. “The sub has been successfully launched and Hamish is currently diving,” the company tweeted on Sunday. But authorities were warned on Sunday by the craft’s operator, OceanGate Expeditions, that the submarine was missing.
“At this time, contact has been lost with their submersible and the information available is limited,” according to the Dawood family statement. “We are very grateful for the concern shown by our colleagues and friends and would like to ask everyone to pray that they are safe.”
The US Coast Guard launched two planes to survey the search area in the North Atlantic and their Canadian counterparts dispatched a plane and a ship. Time is now a critical factor, with a 96-hour window to find the submarine’s passengers.
