he devastating tragedy of the Titanic submarine “implosion” claimed the life of a university student who, according to his grieving aunt, had joined the crew out of a desire to please his father on Father’s Day. Shahzada Dawood, a Pakistani businessman, and his 19-year-old son Suleman were among the five victims who lost their lives instantaneously when the OceanGate submersible suffered a catastrophic implosion a mere 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic, as announced by the US Coast Guard on Thursday. The other victims identified were OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, French Navy veteran Paul-Henri (PH) Nargeolet, and British billionaire Hamish Harding.
In a heart-wrenching revelation, Azmeh Dawood, the aunt of Suleman and the older sister of Mr. Dawood, who holds the position of vice chairman at Engro Corporation, disclosed to NBC News that her nephew had been “terrified” about the trip but felt compelled to fulfill his father’s passion for the 1912 shipwreck.
Expressing her anguish, she shared, “I am thinking of Suleman, who is 19, in there, just perhaps gasping for breath… It’s been crippling, to be honest.” Speaking from her home in Amsterdam, Azmeh added, “I feel disbelief. It’s an unreal situation.” She described the experience as being caught in a distressing film with an unknown countdown.
Azmeh, like other anxious relatives, held onto hope for a miracle. She admitted, “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.” The thought of her nephew trapped inside the submarine weighed heavily on her, making it difficult for her to breathe. She remarked, “It’s been unlike any experience I’ve ever had.”
Rear Admiral John Mauger of the US Coast Guard, speaking at a press conference, shed light on the devastating implosion. He explained, “The implosion would have generated a significant, broadband sound that the sonar buoys would have picked up.” This revelation pointed to an instantaneous death for the men, some of whom had paid $250,000 each for the opportunity to witness the renowned shipwreck.
