Princeton Grad Missing In His Company’s Titanic Submersible

PRINCETON, NJ – The CEO of the company operating the missing Titanic tourist submarine is a Princeton University graduate who disappeared along with the vessel.

Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate is among five people aboard the Titanic expedition submersible that lost contact with its support ship on its way to the wreck.

Rush graduated from Princeton University in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering, the University confirmed.

In a 2017 article published in the university’s alumni magazine, Rush said that since founding his company in 2009, OceanGate has taken people to the wreckage of the Andrea Doria and SS Governor.

Back then, he spoke about his most ambitious project – a mission to the Titanic wreckage. His interest in the expedition was mainly due to the “wealth of information” waiting to be discovered.

At the age of 19, Rush became the youngest jet transport-rated pilot in the world when he obtained his DC-8 Type/Captain’s rating at the United Airlines Jet Training Institute, according to his company biography.

Rush is also a descendant of two signers of the Declaration of Independence – Benjamin Rush and Richard Stockton, reported the New York Times.

Based in Washington, OceanGate began bringing tourists to the Titanic in 2021, to study the deterioration of the wreck. More: What To Know About OceanGate, Owner Of Lost Submersible

The Titan submersible was reported overdue Sunday night about 435 miles south of St. John's, Newfoundland in Canada. The craft submerged Sunday morning. The support vessel lost contact with it about an hour and 45 minutes later.

The four people aboard the Titan with Rush include British billionaire Hamish Harding, explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman.

Rescuers are racing against time to save the five people as less than 24 hours of oxygen remains.

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