King Charles has asked to be kept fully informed on the search for the missing Titanic submarine.

The OceanGate vessel named Titan has five people onboard, including Shahzada Dawood and his son, Salaiman. Mr Dawood is a longtime supporter of The Prince’s Trust International and the British Asian Trust. Both charities were founded by the King when he was the Prince of Wales.

The King has said his thoughts and prayers are with the Dawood family and all those involved in the incident.

The Chief Executive Officer of Prince’s Trust International, Will Straw, said: “Prince’s Trust International has a longstanding relationship with Shahzada Dawood and his family. We are shocked by this awful news, praying for a rescue and sending our thoughts to his family during this deeply challenging time.”

Contact with the vessel was lost 45 minutes after it left on a venture to the Titanic wreckage site in the Atlantic Ocean. The oxygen supply has dwindled down to less than 40 hours as the United States and Canadian Coast Guards look for the missing submarine. France’s oceanographic institute is also assisting in the search.

Experts have tragically said the chances of survival are small as the five people have been lost for three days in a 22-foot tube.

Besides the Dawood father and son, others thought to be on Titan include the Chief Executive Officer and founder of OceanGate Inc, Stockton Rush, who was leading the mission, and famous explorers Hamish Harding and Paul-Henri Nargeolet.