Hamish Harding, British Billionaire Who Went to Space, Is Aboard ...

British explorer and billionaire Hamish Harding, 58, is one of five people on a submersible that has gone missing while on a voyage to the wreckage of the Titanic, his family confirmed. The U.S. Coast Guard was conducting a search-and-rescue operation for the vessel as of Monday afternoon.

Harding's stepson, Brian Szasz, confirmed that Harding was on board the missing vessel in Facebook posts that have since been deleted. Harding also posted about his preparation for the trip over the weekend.

Harding is the CEO of Action Aviation, a private aviation distribution company headquartered in Dubai. He said in a tweet Sunday, before the Titan deployed, that he was joining the tourist group as “a mission specialist.”

A world-renowned explorer and adventurer, Harding took part in Blue Origin's commercial spaceflight program last year, traveling to the edge of space on a New Shepard rocket.

Before that, he set the world record for the speediest around-the-world flight in any aircraft in 2019, and also dove to the lowest depth of the Mariana Trench, known as Challenger Deep. In total, Harding holds three Guinness World Records.

Harding was awarded a European "living legend of aviation" award last year, joining fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos and Top Gun star Tom Cruise.

He's also the chair of the Middle East chapter of the Explorers Club, an international science and exploration organization.

Action Aviation did not immediately respond to The Messenger’s request for comment.