Missing Titanic sub: Wife of OceanGate CEO is relative of couple who died in Titanic sinking

Archives have shown that the wife of Stockton Rush, the OceanGate CEO currently on board the missing Titanic submersible, is a great-great-granddaughter of a couple who famously died in the 1912 disaster.

Isidor Straus was a politician and co-owner of the Macy's department store in the US, when he and his wife, Ida, died in the sinking.

Their daughter Minnie, born in 1880, had a son with Dr Richard Weil named Richard Weil Jr., who was Mrs Rush's grandfather - and also became president of Macy's.

Isidor and Ida Straus were first-class passengers on the boat and are thought to be the inspiration behind an older couple depicted in James Cameron's 1997 Oscar-winner Titanic, who are shown embracing on a bed as water floods the ship.

According to friend and Titanic survivor Colonel Archibald Gracie IV, when he offered to ask an officer if Mr Straus could enter a lifeboat with his wife, Mr Straus refused to be made an exception while women and children were still on board.

Mrs Straus is reported to have not wanted to leave her husband, and while Mr Straus' body was recovered and returned to New York, hers was never found.

According to Mrs Rush's LinkedIn, she is a Communications Director for OceanGate.

In a New York Times archive is the wedding announcement for Stockton and Wendy Rush, reading: "Wendy Hollings Weil, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Weil 3rd of Denver, was married yesterday to Richard Stockton Rush 3rd, a son of Ellen Davies Rush of San Francisco and Mr. Rush Jr.

"Mrs. Rush, a licensed pilot and a substitute teacher in the Lancaster (California) school system, was formerly an account manager with Ladd Associates in San Francisco, a consultant to magazine publishers.

"She graduated from the Hotchkiss School and Princeton University.

"The bride is a granddaughter of Mrs. Arthur B. Griffin Jr. of Stuart, Fla., and the late Richard Weil Jr., who was president of Macy's New York."

Her husband is on board a 6.7-metre long submersible currently at the centre of a large-scale search and rescue operation in the North Atlantic Ocean.

The vessel, named Titan, was reported overdue on Sunday after voyaging to the Titanic shipwreck nearly 12,000ft below the surface.

Rescue efforts have more than doubled with fleets of ships scouring the area, as under three hours of oxygen remain for the five crew members.

Also in the undersea craft are UK-based businessman Shahzada Dawood, his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, a British billionaire, and French sub pilot Paul-Henry Nargeolet.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...