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A Pakistani millionaire and his teenage son are two of the five people trapped on the submersible that went missing on a deep-sea trip to view the wreckage of the Titanic.
Businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Sulaiman, researcher Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Stockton Rush (the CEO of OceanGate, the company that ran the expedition) and British billionaire Hamish Harding are the five men onboard the missing vessel, named the Titan.
The Dawoods belong to one of Pakistan's most prominent families. Their eponymous firm invests across the country in agriculture, industries and the health sector.
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"We are very grateful for the concern being shown by our colleagues and friends and would like to request everyone to pray for their safety while granting the family privacy at this time," a family statement said.
"The family is well looked after and are praying to Allah for the safe return of their family members."
The statement also said that, "as of now, contact has been lost with their submersible craft and there is limited information available".
Shahzada Dawood also is on the board of trustees for the California-based SETI Institute that searches for extraterrestrial intelligence.
Nargeolet is a Titanic expert who, according to an archived version of OceanGate's website, has made the trip to view the wreckage every year and completed more than 37 dives.
The 77-year-old is one of the world's leading historians on the infamous cruise liner, and is also a former navy commander.
READ MORE: Search underway for missing submersible that takes people to see Titanic
Rush is an OceanGate co-founder and board member who, according to the company's website, became the youngest jet transport-rated pilot in the world in 1981, aged 19.
He is listed by the company as overseeing its "financial and engineering strategies and provides a clear vision for development of 4000-metre and 6000-metre-capable crewed submersibles and their partner launch and recovery platforms".
British businessman Harding, who lives in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, was one of the mission specialists, according to Action Aviation, a company for which Harding serves as chairman.
The company's managing director, Mark Butler, told the Associated Press that the crew set out on Friday.
"There is still plenty of time to facilitate a rescue mission, there is equipment on board for survival in this event," Butler said.
"We're all hoping and praying he comes back safe and sound."
Harding is a billionaire adventurer who holds three Guinness World Records, including the longest duration at full ocean depth by a crewed vessel.
In March 2021, he and ocean explorer Victor Vescovo dived to the lowest depth of the Mariana Trench.
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In June 2022, he went into space on Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket.
Harding was "looking forward to conducting research" at the Titanic site, said Richard Garriott de Cayeux, the president of The Explorers Club, a group to which Harding belonged.
"We all join in the fervent hope that the submersible is located as quickly as possible," he said in a statement.
Communication with the Titan was lost about an hour and 45 minutes into its dive on Sunday (local time).
A rescue mission involving both the US and Canadian coast guards was launched late that same day.
The vessel has between 70 and 96 hours of life support, according to John Mauger from the US Coast Guard.
Timeline: How the expedition unfolded
Friday, June 16
- The Polar Prince departs St John's, Newfoundland, with the submersible Titan on board
Sunday, June 18
- The Polar Prince reaches the submersible launch site
- One hour and 45 minutes later communications with Titan are lost
- The vessel is reported overdue at 9.13pm local time (12.13pm Monday AEST)
- A rescue mission is launched involving the US Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard
Monday, June 19
- Rear Admiral John Mauger of the US Coast Guard says the submersible has between 70 and 96 hours of oxygen left
- It's confirmed the submersible had the full complement of five people on board
– Reported with Associated Press and CNN
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