Hamish Harding: Who is he? British billionaire among the lost from the submarine headed for the Titanic
One passenger in particular has generated interest in the continuing hunt for the missing Titanic submarine and its five occupants: Hamish Harding, a British business magnate with a base in the United Arab Emirates. Since Harding has a distinguished record of exploration and risky excursions, his foray into the ocean’s depths is not new to him.
Harding is renowned for his sense of adventure. He is the creator of Action Group and chairman of Action Aviation, a prestigious aircraft trading firm with its headquarters in Dubai. In addition to flying as a pilot, he has explored the ocean’s depths, gone into space as a tourist, and flown in aeroplanes.
On March 5, 2021, Harding and Victor Vescovo descended to the Challenger Deep, the Mariana Trench’s deepest point, which was one of their major feats. Their two-person submarine broke two Guinness World Records for the longest period of time spent at full ocean depth and the deepest depth ever achieved, both at a stunning depth of 36,000 feet.
Back in 2019, Hamish Harding oversaw a team of aviators that included astronaut Col. Terry Virts, and the two of them worked together to do an amazing achievement. Their accomplishment includes breaking the Guinness World Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe, passing past both the North and South Poles. All of this was done while flying a Gulfstream G650ER. In honour of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, this achievement was accomplished in under 46 hours and 40 minutes.
In order to launch the first regular business jet service to the Antarctic in 2017, Harding teamed up with Antarctic VIP tourism firm White Desert to show off his love of adventure. He made a successful landing on Wolfsfang, a recently constructed ice runway, using a Gulfstream G550. Harding has been to the South Pole several times and even had the honour of travelling with Buzz Aldrin in 2016, who became the second person to walk on the moon.
Harding, 58, is the recipient of several honours and distinctions. He received recognition by being inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation in August 2022. Harding is also chairman of the Explorers Club’s Middle East branch and serves on the organization’s board of trustees.
Harding is married to Linda Harding, who enjoys a quieter life away from the spotlight, in his private life. The couple has two kids, and Linda appreciates her position away from the spotlight.
