Missing Titanic Submarine: Who Is Paul-Henri Nargeolet? Know All About Stranded French Diver

Paul-Henri Nargeolet is a well-known French adventurer who has recovered 5,000 relics from the Titanic ship and raised a 20-tonne portion of the ship's hull for investigation.

Image Credits: Reuters

Missing Titanic Submarine: The story of the missing Titanic submarine and its rescue operation's combat against time has captivated audiences worldwide. The US Coast Guard received a communication from the submersible's command ship on Sunday, stating that it had lost touch with the vessel approximately 900 miles (1,450 kilometers) east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The US Navy has since begun extensive operations for the submersible.

Social media becoming viral 'Mr Titanic' is Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a 77-year-old French explorer. He is one of the missing crew members from the Titanic Tourist Submersible, which went out on Sunday. The French submarine lost contact while transporting affluent tourists to the Titanic debris in the Atlantic Ocean.

Who is Paul-Henri Nargeolet aka ‘Mr Titanic’?

Paul-Henri Nargeolet was born in Chamonix, France, but spent his childhood in Africa with his parents. He served in the French Navy for over 20 years, rising to the rank of Commander. He then specialised in deep submersibles and conducted the first Titanic recovery project in 1987.

Nargeolet oversaw the RMS Titanic's underwater investigation. On the ship, he has also appeared in a number of films and documentaries. In one of his documentaries, he stated that freezing temperatures would be one of the most dangerous hazards if explorers remained stranded at the crash site. He completed over 35 dives into the Titanic wreck site, including the most recent one, and is regarded as a ship study expert.

Missing Titanic Submarine: Who are the people missing?

The Titanic submarine, which was bringing five people to the Titanic debris off the Canadian coast, went missing in the North Atlantic Ocean on Sunday. British millionaire Hamish Harding, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, and his son Suleman were also on board. Stockton Rush, the founder, and CEO of the operating business OceanGate, was also said to be on the missing submarine.

As the US Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard continue their search for the vessel — which, if intact, could have approximately 40 hours of oxygen left, officials said on Tuesday — loved ones are worried for Nargeolet and the four other passengers.

What happened to the submersible operated by OceanGate?

The Titan, a 22-foot (6.7-meter) submersible operated by OceanGate Expeditions of the United States, began its descent on Sunday. Near the end of what should have been a two-hour dive to the Titanic, it lost contact with its surface support ship. On Sunday morning, the submersible began its voyage. The submersible lost touch with its mother ship, the Polar Prince, around one hour and 45 minutes into its descent. Although search and rescue operations are still ongoing, the Titan has passed the vital 96-hour oxygen mark. It is unknown whether the five people survived or took precautions to preserve the air supply.