The Cambridge college attended by Hamish Harding, the British billionaire trapped in the missing tourist Titan submersible, last night held an under-the-sea themed May Ball after refusing to change its theme because it ‘was chosen months ago’.
Pembroke College’s May Ball this year featured underwater decorations, branding with submarines and ocean-themed entertainment acts such as shanties.
Mr Harding, 58, an alumnus of the prestigious college, is currently missing in the Atlantic Ocean after a trip to visit the Titanic wreck went wrong and the submersible vessel he was in lost contact with its mothership.
The ball ended at 5am on Thursday, just hours before the sub is expected to run out of breathable air for the five trapped onboard this morning.
May Balls occur in May Week at the end of the Cambridge academic year as a traditional celebration to mark the end of exams, and colleges typically have budgets worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Hamish Harding, 58, is currently missing in the Atlantic Ocean after a trip to visit the Titanic wreck
The ball had the name: ‘Nautilus – Into The Depths’
Pembroke College, Cambridge went on with the under-the-sea themed ball as planned
The May Ball Committee posted this statement on its website just hours before the ball
Rescue teams are continuing the search for the submersible Titan vessel which went missing during a voyage to the Titanic shipwreck
A statement on the ball’s website just hours before it was due to take place said: ‘We are aware of the worrying news about Pembroke alumnus Hamish Harding.Â
‘Today’s May Ball theme was chosen many months ago and if we could change it now, we would.Â
‘All we can say is that we sincerely hope that Mr Harding and the others on board the submarine will be found safe and well. Our thoughts go out to the Harding family at this very difficult time.’
The ball’s theme was announced in February, but the Committee continued to post images of submarines and dark underwater scenes all the way up to the ball yesterday, including during the time period Mr Harding has been missing.Â
Guests paid up to £175 per ticket for a night of non-stop entertainment, revelry, food and alcohol.
Those queuing up for the ball on Wednesday evening listened to sea shanties, and once inside students enjoyed music from entertainers including Fisherman’s Girlfriends, Colonel Spanky’s Love Ensemble and The Lightwaves.
Among the food and drink on offer was a stall from fish and chip caterers Pimp My Fish.
A current student at the college also claimed on social media that the Ball Committee had to cancel some of its ‘promotional material’ at the last minute due to fears around insensitivity.
This was said to have included imagery of ‘a kraken pulling a submarine into the depths.’Â
The ball had plenty of underwater decor such as these models of jellyfish
The May Ball committee continued posting underwater imagery, including of submarines, right up until the ball itself
As well as the logo, the May Ball theme was named: ‘Nautilus: Into the Depths’.Â
Although the May Ball Committee, which is made up of current students at the College, posted a statement on its website there was no mention of Mr Harding on any of its social media accounts.Â
After being contacted by MailOnline, the ball’s website was taken down, and posts about last night’s event have been deleted from the ball’s social media accounts.
Photographs from inside the ball show under-the-sea themed decor, and branding for the ball features divers, submarines and sea creatures such as octopuses.
Some students were horrified by the decision to go ahead with the ball and its theme at such an insensitive time.
Sam Hudson, who studies History and Philosophy of Science at Trinity Hall College, said: ‘Candlelit vigil at the May Ball now! Anything else would be disrespectful.’
Another current student wrote on Twitter about the theme: ‘Oh my God.’
A third added: ‘Omfg’.Â
Pembroke College and Pembroke May Ball have been contacted for comment.Â
