×

‘He Invited Me,’ Ned Nwoko Mourns Friend On Ill-Fated Titanic Expedition

A multinational search-and-rescue operation for the submersible came to a tragic end on Thursday when the sub operator, OceanGate, revealed that the explorers were dead.


Ned Nwoko and Hamish Harding pose for a photograph. Photo: Instagram/@princenednwoko

 

Senator Ned Nwoko has expressed his sympathy over the death of British billionaire Hamish Harding, one of the five men who were declared dead following the implosion of a submersible near the wreck of the Titanic.

A multinational search-and-rescue operation for the submersible came to a tragic end on Thursday when the sub operator, OceanGate, revealed that the explorers were dead.

“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 said in an Instagram post on Friday, sharing photos with the late aviator.

Describing him as a dear friend and business partner, the senator for Delta North disclosed that both men had gone on “a very dangerous expedition to the Southpole Antarctica few years back”. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Senator Prince Ned Nwoko (@princenednwoko)

He further noted that the deceased was a gulf stream pilot who earned several Guinness World Records titles including for the fastest circumnavigation via both Poles by aeroplane. 

“Above all he was a partner on the various researches into eradication of malaria in Africa project. He was very enthusiastic about it and always gave his support at every given opportunity,” Nwoko said.

“His last message to me was this last Sunday when he told me they were ready to dive to the titanic if the weather permits. He loved adventure and challenges. 

“My heart bleeds for his dear wife and kids who have become family friends over the years. We will surely miss his wealth of experience.”

‘Catastrophic Implosion’

The 21-foot (6.5-meter) Titan began its descent at 8 am on Sunday and had been due to resurface seven hours later.

But the craft lost communication with its mothership less than two hours into its trip to see the Titanic.

The Titanic’s watery grave is situated 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, and more than two miles below the surface of the North Atlantic.

The sub was carrying British billionaire Hamish Harding and dual Pakistani-British citizens Shahzada Dawood, a tycoon, and his son Suleman. OceanGate Expeditions charges $250,000 for a seat on the sub.

READ ALSO: Banks Must Obtain Customers’ Social Media Handles For Identification – CBN

Also on board were OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush, and a French submarine operator Paul-Henri Nargeolet, nicknamed “Mr Titanic” for his frequent dives at the site.

Ships and planes scoured 10,000 square miles (around 20,000 square kilometers) of surface water — roughly the size of the US state of Massachusetts — for the vessel.

However, the US Coast Guard confirmed Thursday that the small sub, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, had suffered a “catastrophic implosion” in the ocean depths, ending a multinational search-and-rescue operation that captivated the world.