Chris Brown, a friend of billionaire Hamish Harding, tells @GMA he pulled out of the submersible mission last minute due to safety concerns:
“I found out they used old scaffolding poles for the sub’s ballast — and its controls were based on computer game-style controllers. Eventually I emailed them and said, ‘I’m no longer able to go on this thing’. I asked for a refund after being less than convinced.”
The US Coast Guard launched a search and rescue operation for a submersible with five people on board that went missing during an expedition to the wreckage of the Titanic.
The military branch received a phone call Sunday informing them the Canadian research ship Polar Prince had lost contact with the underwater vessel and were overdue on checking with their communications, according to Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Samantha Corcoran.
“Right now, we are just trying to use all efforts and work with international partners to try to get any resources out there to safely locate all five individuals,” she said.
A Titanic tourist submarine has gone missing and a rescue operation is underway.
The submarine, which can hold up to five people, tours the wreckage of the Titanic for $250,000 per person. His stepson, Brian Szasz, shared concerned messages on social media, writing: “My stepdad Hamish Harding is on this submarine.” Alongside a family photo from Christmas day last year, he wrote: “Thoughts and prayers for my family”.
Mr Harding, the chairman of Action Aviation, which buys and sells aircraft, said the vessel left St John’s, in Newfoundland, on Friday and the team planned to start the dive at 4am local time on Sunday. He said the group included a “couple of legendary explorers”.
Seattle-based firm OceanGate, which owns the missing submersible, said it was “exploring and mobilising all options to bring the crew back safely”.
It is not known how many people were on board the submersible at the time it went missing, but it has capacity for five.
“Our entire focus is on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families,” OceanGate told CBS. It said it was “deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to re-establish contact with the submersible”.
The Boston Coastguard is carrying out the rescue mission for the OceanGate Expeditions tour group, which takes explorers to the depths of the Atlantic for $250,000 per person.
Lt Jordan Hart, of the US Coastguard in Boston said staff were “currently undergoing a search and rescue operation” when asked by CBS News.
Explorer Hamish Harding wrote on social media he was joining OceanGate as a “mission specialist” on an expedition
