Suleman Dawood’s mother is speaking out after she lost both her 19-year-old son and her husband on the submersible that imploded while diving toward the Titanic that still lays at the bottom of the ocean.
While talking with the BBC, Christine Dawood admitted that she was originally supposed to dive alongside her husband several years ago. However, the couple never went when the trip was initially canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christine admitted she then “stepped back and gave them space to set [Suleman] up” when the trip was rescheduled. “He really wanted to go. I was really happy for them because both of them, they really wanted to do that for a very long time,” the grieving mom added.
She then added the one personal item her teen son took with him on the trip; a Rubik’s Cube. “He said, ‘I’m going to solve the Rubik’s Cube 3,700 meters below sea at the Titanic.’”
Christine bragged that her son was able to solve a Rubik’s Cube in 12 seconds. Sadly, Suleman would never get the chance to do that.
Suleman Dawood was the youngest crew member aboard the Titanic submersible when it imploded during its journey.
Christine also shared the final moments she shared with her husband and son before tragedy struck. “Well we just hugged and joked actually, because Shahzada was so excited to go down, he was like a little child. So the sentence, we lost comm, I think that will be a sentence I never want to hear in my life again.”
“I miss them, I really, really miss them,” Christine said.
Several reports have confirmed that Suleman’s seat on the Titan, the name given to the submersible, was a gift from his father, Shahzada, who was also in the sub.
As Mamas Uncut previously reported, Suleman’s aunt, Azmeh Dawood, shared her own view of the situation this past weekend. She claimed that her teenage nephew was “terrified” but opted to go with his father because it was Father’s Day.
“I am thinking of Suleman, who is 19, in there, just perhaps gasping for breath … It’s been crippling, to be honest,” she recalled in her interview. Azmeh continued saying her brother “had a passion for the Titanic” starting at a young age, so when he purchased two tickets, Azmeh wasn’t surprised.
However, Azmeh admitted that her nephew was a bit more nervous about getting in the submersible. She told NBC News that Suleman “wasn’t very up for it” and was “terrified,” but ultimately decided to go with his father because the first dive began on Father’s Day.
“I feel like I’ve been caught in a really bad film with a countdown, but you didn’t know what you’re counting down to,” Azmeh said. “I personally have found it kind of difficult to breathe thinking of them. I never thought I would have an issue with drawing breath. It’s been unlike any experience I’ve ever had.”
As Mamas Uncut previously reported, on June 22, OceanGate Expeditions released a statement four days after the Titanic submersible began its first dive.
As several news reports had detailed over the last several days, on Sunday morning the submersible began its initial descent toward where the Titanic sunk. Aboard the deep-sea submersible were five people who craved adventures.
Text messages from one of the passengers, identified as British billionaire Hamish Harding, revealed that he was aware of the dangers and risks of what he was about to do. “Hey, we’re headed out tomorrow, it looks good, the weather’s been bad so they’ve been waiting for this,” the 58-year-old billionaire wrote to his friend, retired NASA astronaut Colonel Terry Virts.
Sadly, about 1 hour and 45 minutes into the first dive, the submersible lost contact with its support ship and it’s been missing ever since. Due to how small the submersible is there was only about 96 hours worth of oxygen inside.
It’s believed the oxygen inside the sub ran out early this morning. Now, OceanGate believe everyone inside has since perished.
“We now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, have sadly been lost,” OceanGate said in a statement.
“These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans. Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew.”
According to the Coast Guard, they believe the Titan “imploded on descent and debris fell to the seabed near the wreckage of the Titanic.” The wreckage was located only feet from the Titanic’s bow.
The statement came after it was reported that the rescue mission had discovered a “debris field” during the search. According to CNN, the debris field has since been “assessed to be the external body of the submersible.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the lives lost.
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