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Nigerian lawmaker, Ned Nwoko, has revealed how serving Nigeria prevented him from joining the ill-fated Titanic-touring submersible that suffered a “catastrophic implosion,” leading to the death of all five people on board.
The senator representing Delta North in the 10th National Assembly disclosed this as he expressed his grief over the loss of his close friend and business partner, Hamish Harding, in the unfortunate incident.
Harding and Nwoko became close friends after the duo went on an expedition to Southpole Antarctica a few years ago to amplify the campaign for malaria eradication in Africa.
Meanwhile, the late pilot had also invited the Nigerian senator to join the party that went on the Titanic expedition on Sunday, June 18, 2023, but Nwoko could not join the trip because he was tied down with national duties.
The Nigerian billionaire shared this in a post on his official Instagram account on Friday, June 23, 2023.
He said, “I have lost a very dear friend and business partner, Captain Hermish Harding. We both went on a very dangerous expedition to Southpole Antarctica a few years back. He was a Gulfstream pilot who flew across the world in a record-breaking expedition by the Guinness world record for circumnavigation of the earth some years ago.
“He descended into the Mariana. 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. Above all, he was a partner on the various research into eradication of malaria in Africa project. He was very enthusiastic about it and always gave his support at every given opportunity.
“His last message to me was this last Sunday when he told me they were ready to dive into 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.”
Other casualties of the tragic expedition included OceanGate founder, Stockton Rush; French diver, Paul-Henri Nargeolet; Pakistani businessman, Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman.