ABUJA, Nigeria — In a poignant revelation, Nigerian senator Ned Nwoko disclosed on Friday, June 23, 2023, that he narrowly avoided being part of the tragic underwater expedition that claimed the lives of five people, including his close friend and business partner, Hamish Harding.
The submersible, named “Titan,” was on a mission to tour the wreckage of the historic Titanic ship when it suffered a catastrophic implosion.
Mr Harding, a British businessman renowned for his exploratory feats and a Guinness World Record holder for the longest single dive in the ocean’s deepest part, was one of the ill-fated passengers aboard the Titan submersible.
On his verified Instagram, Senator Nwoko mourned the loss of Mr Harding, recounting their thrilling adventures, and explained his absence from the doomed Titanic expedition.
“I have lost a dear friend and business partner. Captain Hamish Harding. We both went on a dangerous expedition to Southpole, Antarctica, a few years back,” Senator Nwoko wrote.
“He also invited me on his space shuttle last year and this very Titan ill-fated adventure, but I was tied down with national duties,” Nwoko wrote.
Nwoko further shared the final message he received from Harding, “His last message to me was this Sunday when he told me they were ready to dive into the Titanic if the weather permits.”
The politician expressed his grief and extended condolences to Harding’s family, saying, “My heart bleeds for his dear wife and kids, who have become family friends. We will surely miss his wealth of experience.”
The Titan submersible embarked on its journey early Sunday, and contact was lost less than two hours in.
The United States Coast Guard on Thursday announced the discovery of debris from the submersible around 1,600 feet from the Titanic’s bow, which rests approximately 13,000 feet deep in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Besides Harding, the submersible carried OceanGate CEO and founder Stockton Rush, French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani billionaire Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood.
Nwoko recounted the 2020 Antarctic expedition he undertook with Harding and his teenage son, Giles, in a twist of camaraderie and ambition.
The trio, alongside scientists from Russia, India, China, the U.S., and the UK, journeyed to the South Pole in an upgraded 1943 DC3 turboprop aircraft. During this expedition, Nwoko aimed to create awareness for his Malaria Eradication Project in Africa.
Upon reaching the South Pole, the team hoisted a Nigerian flag with the inscription “Let’s Eradicate Malaria in Africa.”
