Hamish Harding
 | This article may be affected by the following current event: 2023 Titan submersible incident. Information in this article may change rapidly as the event progresses. Initial news reports may be unreliable. The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (June 2023) |
Hamish Harding | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 June 1964 |
| Disappeared | 18 June 2023 (aged 58) North Atlantic Ocean |
| Status | Missing for 3 days |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | Pembroke College, Cambridge (BA, MA)[1] |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Crew pilot for the record-breaking flight mission, One More Orbit |
| Spouse | Linda Harding[2] |
| Children | 2[2] |
| Space career | |
| Blue Origin space tourist | |
| Missions | Blue Origin NS-21 |
Hamish Harding (born 24 June 1964) is a British businessman, pilot, explorer, and space tourist based in the United Arab Emirates. He is the founder of Action Group and chairman of Action Aviation, an international aircraft brokerage company with headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[3][4][5]
On 9–11 July 2019, Harding was mission director and crew pilot for the flight mission One More Orbit, which set a world speed record for the fastest circumnavigation of Earth by aircraft over both geographic poles.[5][6][7]
On 18 June 2023, Harding was identified as one of the five people inside a submersible that went missing in the North Atlantic while en route to view the wreckage of the Titanic.[8]
Biography
In 2017, Harding worked with Antarctic VIP tourism company, White Desert, to introduce the first regular business jet service to the Antarctic using a Gulfstream G550, landing on Wolfs Fang Runway, an ice runway. Harding also visited the South Pole several times, accompanying Buzz Aldrin in 2016 as he became the oldest person to reach the South Pole (age 86).[9]
On 9–11 July 2019, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Harding, along with Terry Virts, led a team of aviators that took the Guinness World Record for a circumnavigation of the Earth via North and South Poles in a Gulfstream G650ER in 46 hours 40 minutes.[10][11] The One More Orbit mission launched and landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility (Space Florida) at NASA Kennedy Space Center, US. Harding was the mission director and led a team of over 100.
On 5 March 2021, Harding and Victor Vescovo dived to the deepest point of the Mariana Trench, the Challenger Deep at a depth of 36,000 feet (11,000 m), in a two-person submarine, setting the records for greatest length covered and greatest time spent at full ocean depth.[12][13][14][7]
Harding flew to space as part of the suborbital Blue Origin NS-21 mission, on 4 June 2022, on the fifth spaceflight of the New Shepard rocket.[15][16][17][18][19]
In September 2022, Harding's aviation company Action Aviation supplied a customised Boeing 747-400 aircraft to transport eight wild cheetahs from Namibia to India to launch the reintroduction of the cheetah to India project of the Indian Government and the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia (CCF). Cheetahs have been extinct in India since independence in 1947.[20] This conservation project was designated a "flagged expedition" by the Explorers Club with club members Harding and Laurie Marker, founder of the CCF, carrying the flag on the flight to India.[21][22]
Missing Titan submersible
On 18 June 2023, Harding was one of five people aboard the Titan submersible operated by OceanGate, Inc. on an expedition to visit the wreckage of RMS Titanic 12,500 feet (3,800 m) below the surface of the North Atlantic. The submersible went missing after an hour and 45 minutes dive and is believed to have sufficient air reserves to last between 70 to 96 hours. As of 20 June 2023[update], this incident is still ongoing.[23][24]
Awards and recognition
- In August 2022, Harding was inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation.[25][26]
- Harding is on the board of trustees of the Explorers Club and is chairman of its Middle East chapter.[27][28][29]
See also
References
- ^ "Blue Origin launches NS-21 suborbital flight with six passengers". 4 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Who is missing British billionaire Hamish Harding?". The Independent. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "British explorer Hamish Harding on his journey to the deepest point on earth". The Week.
- ^ "Longest duration at full ocean depth by a crewed vessel". Guinness World Records. 5 March 2021.
- ^ a b Haziq, Saman. "Hamish Harding on his journey to the Earth's deepest point and back". Khaleej Times.
- ^ Lynch, Kerry. "Tight Bizjet Inventory Creating Need for Urgency, Caution". Aviation International News.
- ^ a b "StackPath". www.aviationpros.com. 15 July 2019.
- ^ Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood and son Suleman: Who is on board Titanic sub?, BBC
- ^ Hamish Harding: the British explorer missing at sea near the Titanic, The Guardian
- ^ "Watch: UAE adventurer in space on Blue Origin flight". Khaleej Times.
- ^ Nasir, Sarwat (31 May 2022). "UAE adventurer raring to reach the edge of space on Blue Origin rocket". The National.
- ^ "Video: Dubai resident Hamish Harding explores ocean's deepest point 'Challenger Deep' in record-breaking attempt". gulftoday.ae.
- ^ "Video: Dubai resident Hamish Harding to dive to ocean's deepest point to study marine life, impact of pollution". www.gulftoday.ae.
- ^ "Earth's tallest mountain, Mauna Kea, ascended for the first time". Guinness World Records. 29 December 2021.
- ^ "NS-21 to Fly Six Customer Astronauts, Including First Mexican-Born Woman to Visit Space". Blue Origin.
- ^ Nasir, Sarwat (13 June 2022). "Flat-Earthers should get a first-class ticket for Blue Origin, says UAE space tourist". The National.
- ^ Sircar, Nandini. "UAE: Meet the expat preparing to take off on Blue Origin's spaceflight". Khaleej Times.
- ^ Abdulla, Nasreen; Times, Khaleej. "UAE space tourist talks about his amazing 10-minute trip". www.zawya.com.
- ^ "First person to complete the "Explorers' Extreme Trifecta" (Male)". 4 June 2022.
- ^ "8 cheetahs arrive to India from Namibia as part of reintroduction project". 17 September 2022.
- ^ "Rescued female, 2 brothers among 8 Cheetahs coming to India | Know details". 16 September 2022.
- ^ "In Jumbo Jet, 8 Wild Cheetahs from Namibia are Coming to India for Historic Translocation". MSN.
- ^ BBC News (19 June 2023). "Titanic tour firm 'exploring all options' to save missing crew". BBC News. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ Bloomberg news (20 June 2023). "What We Know About the Missing Titanic Submersible". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Morgan Freeman Presents Aviation Oscars at Scalaria". 27 August 2022.
- ^ "At Lake Wolfgang: Oscar winner Morgan Freeman honored the Salzkammergut - Celebrity Gossip News". 28 August 2022.
- ^ "Why details of the cheetahs coming to India are crucial for success of the introduction programme". India Today.
- ^ "In Jumbo Jet, 8 Wild Cheetahs from Namibia are Coming to India for Historic Translocation". News18.
- ^ "Club Officials". The Explorers Club. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
