The family of the French Titanic expert who died in the OceanGate disaster has paid tribute to life’s work, remembering fondly his sense of humor and ‘his big heart’.
On Thursday, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, was confirmed to have died in the tragedy, alongside the CEO of OceanGate, Stockton Rush, 61; British billionaire explorer Hamish Harding, 58; and Pakistani father and son Shahzada Dawood, 48; and Suleman Dawood, 19.
Nargeolet – known universally as PH – was part of the first human expedition to visit the Titanic’s wreck in 1987, and had visited the site at least 35 times.
Nargeolet’s family was joined by relatives of the other four, who all commended their curiosity and adventurous spirits.
The Nargeolet family said: ‘Our hearts are broken over the loss of our extraordinary father and husband.
‘He is a man who will be remembered as one of the greatest deep-sea explorers in modern history. When you think of the Titanic and all we know about the ship today, you will think of Paul-Henri Nargeolet and his legendary work.
‘But what we will remember him most for is his big heart, his incredible sense of humor and how much he loved his family. We will miss him today and every day for the rest of our lives.’
The family of French Navy veteran PH Nargeolet on Thursday paid tribute to the ‘legendary work’ of the 77-year-old
Nargeolet is seen with a replica of the Titanic wreckage at a Paris exhibition in May 2013
The Nargeolet family also thanked all those involved in the search and rescue efforts.
Nargeolet, who was born in the French Alps, in the ski resort town of Chamonix, was married to former New York news anchor Michele Marsh. She died of breast cancer in 2017 at the age of 63.
He served in various roles in the French Navy from 1964 to 1986 – notably as a commander, sub pilot, ship captain, clearance diver and deep-sea diver.
He retired from the Navy and joined the French Institute for Research and Exploitation of Sea (IFREMER) in charge of the deep submersibles Nautile and Cyana.
While at IFREMER, he led the first recovery expedition to the Titanic in 1987.
Nargeolet moved to the U.S. and became involved in Titanic research, supervising the recovery of 5,000 artifacts – including the recovery of the a 20-ton section of Titanic’s hull, which is now on display in Las Vegas.
He was a longtime resident of Kent, Connecticut before moving to Dutchess County in New York.
Nargeolet leaves behind a wife and three children, plus his stepson, John Paschall.
The company which organized the doomed expedition, OceanGate, also paid tribute to those on board.
The Washington state-based firm was started by aeronautical engineer and entrepreneur Stockton Rush in 2009. He was among those who perished.
‘These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans,’ said OceanGate in a statement.
‘Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and the joy they brought to everyone they knew.’
Stockton Rush, the 61-year-old founder and CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, is among the five people killed. He founded the company in 2009, and was piloting the craft
Five people were onboard, including British billionaire adventurer Hamish Harding, 58, and Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, who was just 19
Hamish Harding’s family, friends and colleagues also paid tribute.
Harding was based in the United Arab Emirates, and was chairman of aircraft brokerage and management company Action Aviation.
‘Hamish Harding was a loving husband to his wife and a dedicated father to his two sons, whom he loved deeply,’ the statement said.
‘To his team in Action Aviation, he was a guide, an inspiration, a support, and a Living Legend.’
The Cambridge-educated Harding holds the Guinness World Record for the longest duration spent at the bottom of the sea.
He set it in 2021, after diving to the deepest place on Earth, the Mariana Trench, and traversing it for four hours and 15 minutes.
It was one of three Guinness world records he has earned.
He set another one for the longest distance, three miles, covered at the bottom of the ocean.
His first was set in 2019, for the fastest circumnavigation of the earth via North and South Poles in a Gulfstream 650ER business jet.
Last year he went into space.
The London-born adventurer – who was friends with astronaut Buzz Aldrin – said recently: ‘I used to read the book of Guinness World Records regularly as a child. I always wondered how I could get into it. I did not think I could do it.
‘And I didn’t want to do something stupid – like setting a record for the number of ping-pong balls bounced in a day, or something like that.’
The family added: ‘He was one of a kind and we adored him.
‘He was a passionate explorer – whatever the terrain – who lived his life for his family, his business and for the next adventure.’
