Paul-Henri Nargeolet (1946-2023) was an American deep-sea explorer best known for his expertise on the Titanic. He is of French descent. He died along with four others when the Titan submersible imploded near the wreckage of the Titanic in the North Atlantic on June 18, 2023.
Wiki/Biography
Paul-Henri Nargeolet was born on Saturday, March 2, 1946 in Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France (age 77; death). His zodiac sign is Pisces. He spent much of his childhood in Casablanca, North Africa, moving to Paris at the age of 16 to continue his higher education. He fell in love with the sea as a child, and at the age of 9 he accompanied experienced divers as they explored the shallow-water wreck of a small cargo ship at a depth of 20 meters. This was his first crash.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′ 9″
Hair color: gray
Eye color: hazel
family
Parents and siblings
Not much is known about his parents.
wife and children
Paul-Henri Nargeolet was previously married to American journalist Michele Marsh, who died of complications from breast cancer in 2017. He first met Michel to secure an interview with Michel Navratil. They have one daughter, Sidonie Nargeolet. Michelle Marsh also had a son, John Pascale, with her first husband, Nathaniel Price Pascale. After his wife’s death, Narolai reconnected with a woman who had been a close friend during his childhood. Over time, their bond grew stronger and they became partners, providing each other with comfort and companionship during difficult times in Narolai’s life. According to his Facebook profile, his relationship status is divorced.
Michelle Marsh, first wife of Paul-Henri Narolais
daughter of Paul-Henri Narolais
Paul-Henri Nargeolet with his first wife, daughter and stepson
Paul-Henri Nageolette and his family
Profession
french navy
Paul-Henri Nargeolet joined the French Navy in September 1964 and held various positions including commander, co-pilot, EOD officer, captain, licensed diver and deep diver. In the 1970s, he served as commander of the Groupement de Plongeurs Démineurs de Cherbourg, a specialized team tasked with the critical task of locating and removing underground mines. In the 1980s, he was transferred to the undersea intervention team and was responsible for operating intervention submarines. He served in the French Navy until April 1986. Throughout his tenure, he embarked on global expeditions to salvage sunken French aircraft and the personnel and weapons associated with them. During these operations, he made some significant discoveries, such as a Roman shipwreck anchored at a depth of 70 meters. Additionally, he successfully located a DHC-5 Buffalo aircraft that crashed in 1979 with 12 people on board, including senior Mauritanian government officials. These achievements contributed to a distinguished career that culminated in his retirement as a frigate captain and the rank of frigate captain.
Old portrait of Paul-Henri Nageole
IFREMER
In April 1986, Narolet received an offer from the French Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER) to conduct a daring dive to explore the depths of the Titanic wreckage. He jumped at the chance and became part of the first human expedition to visit the Titanic’s wreck site in 1987. During the mission, they salvaged artifacts directly from the sunken wreckage.
Paul-Henri Nargeolet at the Paris Expo
Subsequently, he led IFREMER on multiple dive missions to the Titanic wreck site in 1993, 1994 and 1996. During the mission, Nargeolet successfully located and recovered several aircraft damaged at sea. On May 15, 1993, while diving in the Nautile submersible, he stumbled upon an unexpected discovery: the wreckage of the ship La Lune, which sank near Toulon in 1664. He served as Director of IFREMER DESM until January 1996.
Old photo of Paul-Henri Nargeolet during an expedition
Aqua+
From 1996 to 2003, Nargeolet collaborated with Canal+ subsidiary Aqua+, specializing in the production of underwater films. During his time with the company, he oversaw subsea operations on two submarines.
Paul-Henri Nargeolet while working on a project
consultant
Beginning in January 2004, he began a consulting practice in Greenwich, Connecticut, where he provided his expertise and advice. He held this position until March 2007.
Premier Exhibitions
In August 2007, RMS Titanic, Inc., a subsidiary of Premier Exhibitions known for organizing traveling exhibitions, sought the services of Nargeolet. His mission is to find the wreckage of the RMS Carpathia, a ship famous for rescuing survivors of the RMS Titanic before being torpedoed in 1918. As Director of Underwater Research Projects, Nargolet works with RMS Titanic to recover Titanic-related artifacts. His duties include using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and piloting dives to wreck sites. Through his unremitting efforts, nearly 6,000 cultural relics have been successfully recovered in 35 dives.
Paul-Henri Nargeolet and his team during a mission
In 2010, he played a key role in a mission to use ROVs and autonomous underwater robots to create 3D maps of shipwreck sites and assess their deterioration. In addition, in 2010, Narolai also participated in the search mission for the flight recorder of Air France Flight 447. The tragic incident occurred the previous year when the flight crashed en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. Narolai’s involvement demonstrates his commitment to assisting in high-risk recovery operations. On June 18, 2023, Nargeolet boarded the Titan submersible owned by OceanGate, Inc. and witnessed the unforgettable wreck of the Titanic. This was his last adventure.
Paul-Henri Nageollet in his office
Center for Marine and Underwater Resources Management (CMURM)
From 2015 to 2016, Paul-Henri served as Director of the Center for Marine and Underwater Resources Management (CMURM) at Michigan State University.
die
In June 2023, Paul-Henri Nargeolet embarked on a voyage aboard the Titan ship operated by OceanGate, Inc., with the purpose of exploring the wreckage of the Titanic. Unfortunately, on June 18, Titan lost contact with the surface ship MV Polar Prince. The United States, Canada and France jointly used water and air resources to quickly launch search and rescue operations. A major development occurred on June 22, when a debris field was discovered approximately 490 meters from the front of the Titanic. OceanGate expressed their pessimistic belief that Nargoole and four other people on board died. A subsequent U.S. Coast Guard press conference confirmed that the debris observed corresponded to a catastrophic failure of the submersible’s pressure hull, causing it to implode. In a media conversation, speaking about Paul’s love for underwater adventures, his daughter said:
If we cannot find them, we will be very sad because we will never see him again. His favorite thing was being in a submarine, close to the Titanic. This is where he really likes to be. I would rather he (die) in a place where he was very happy. “
Facts/Trivia
- He was affectionately known as “Mr. Titanic” and “PH Nargeolet” by his family and loved ones.
- On April 6, 2022, he published a book called “Dans les profondeurs du Titanic” (Dans les profondeurs du Titanic). This book chronicles his various adventures and details his extraordinary adventures.
- Drawing on his extensive knowledge of the Titanic, Narolai created two outstanding documentaries: Titanic: The Legend Lives On (1994) and Deep Inside the Titanic) (1999). These works showcase his expertise and provide viewers with a deeper understanding of Titanic’s enduring legacy.
- Paul Henry lived in Charleston, West Virginia at the time of his death.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education