A Titanic descendant has said a community around the ship is ‘trying our best to remain positive’ as time runs out for the submersible which has gone missing on a dive to the wreck.

Susie Millar, president of the Belfast Titanic Society, spoke as a huge operation takes place to rescue the mini-sub with five people onboard after it lost contact on the commercial trip in the North Atlantic.

Susie, the great-granddaughter of Thomas Millar, the ship’s assistant deck engineer, also expressed her personal view that the expeditions are more than just tourist trips and have valuable scientific purposes.

The Titan vessel, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, went missing on Sunday with 96 hours of oxygen intended for emergency use onboard.

Sharing her thoughts with Metro.co.uk, Susie said: ‘It is practically impossible to put into words. I can only feel acute sympathy for the families who are waiting for news of their loved ones and hoping for the best possible outcome. We in the Titanic community around the world are united in our support for those who are attempting a rescue and willing them to succeed.

‘We are trying our best to remain positive.’

The massive search, being led by the US Coast Guard, is taking place with the Titan thought to have around 40 hours of supplementary oxygen left.

British billionaire Hamish Harding is on the vessel along with renowned French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman. OceanGate’s chief executive and founder, Stockton Rush, is also understood to be onboard.

The Titan lost contact with its mothership — the Polar Prince — around an hour and 45 minutes after submerging on Sunday morning.

Susie, 55, from Belfast, spoke of two of those named who she is familiar with through her work with the heritage community.

‘Stockton Rush visited us here in Belfast earlier this year along with his wife and was met by members of the Belfast Titanic Society committee,’ she said.

‘We have the utmost respect for him. Paul-Henri Nargeolet is a legend in the Titanic community and a man who is very generous in sharing his knowledge and experiences at the wreck.’

Susie’s great-grandfather was among those who perished when the RMS Titanic sunk on April 15, 1912. He was aged 33.

She told Metro.co.uk that her personal view of commercial expeditions to the shipwreck is that they are more than just tourist expeditions.

‘My opinion has changed over the years,’ Susie said.

‘When I first got involved in the Titanic world, through my family connection to the wreck, I was against any expeditions or retrieval of artefacts.

‘As time has gone on and we have watched the wreck deteriorate, I am now of the opinion that we should try to salvage what we can so that future generations can learn from it and know the true Titanic story.

‘My wish is to have a piece of Titanic’s hull brought back to Belfast.

‘I don’t consider these missions to be sightseeing trips. They are carrying out valuable scientific research, imaging and mapping.’

Susie is also a board member of the New York-based Friends of Titanic Lighthouse, which is working to restore a memorial to the maritime tragedy.

In a separate comment, the group said: ‘We hope for a speedy recovery of all those on board the submersible.

‘Our thoughts and support are with our friends on the OceanGate Expeditions team. We join in prayer for their safe return.’

The famous shipwreck lies in a remote location 3,800m deep and around 435 miles south of Newfoundland, Canada.

At present, the international search and rescue effort, involving US and Canadian planes and ships, covers 7,600 miles.

Captain Jamie Frederick, of the First Coast Guard District, said the search is ‘complex’ and ‘requires multiple agencies’.

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