The loved ones of the five adventurers lost on the Titanic submersible Titan are reeling with the devastating news of their shocking deaths last week. Among the five men presumed dead are British-Pakistani father and son Shahzad Dawood and Suleman Dawood. In a new interview with the BBC, Christine Dawood said she was actually the one who was supposed to travel to the RMS Titanic wreckage with her husband but gave her seat to her eager son instead.
The grieving wife and mother recalled the moment the Titan lost communication with its support vessel, the Polar Prince, and not realizing the grave consequences. Dawood said her 19-year-old son didn't go anywhere without his Rubik's Cube and intended to set a world record underwater. Today, she and her daughter hope to honor his memory by learning how to solve the puzzle.
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Christine Dawood was supposed to travel to the wreckage once before.
She told the BBC she and her husband were supposed to be on the Titan on an earlier mission, but the COVID-19 pandemic canceled those plans. After that mission was put on hold, she said Suleman began to show interest in the submersible, and she decided to let him have the adventure instead.
"Then I stepped back and gave them space to set [Suleman] up, because he really wanted to go," she told the BBC.
Christine Dawood said she was very excited for her husband and son because the pair really wanted to go on the mission together.
Suleman loved his Rubik's Cube.
Christine Dawood said her son took the puzzle with him everywhere and wanted to master it at the bottom of the ocean. "He said, 'I'm going to solve the Rubik's Cube 3,700 metres below sea at the Titanic,'" she told the BBC.
The toy wizard could reportedly solve the complex puzzle in an impressive 12 seconds.
She said the family laughed and joked in the moments before they boarded the doomed vessel. "I was really happy for them because both of them. They really wanted to do that for a very long time," she shared.
The mother and her daughter, Alina, saw the pair off on their adventure.
The mother and daughter sat aboard the Polar Prince, eagerly awaiting updates on the mission, but communication went dark less than two hours into the submersible's descent.
"I didn't comprehend at that moment what it meant — and then it just went downhill from there," Christine Dawood said.
She said that she and her daughter remained hopeful, but as time passed, she began to realize her family might not return. "I think I lost hope when we passed the 96 hours mark," she admitted. The mother said it was then that she told her family that she was expecting the worst.
Those fears came true when the US Coast Guard announced Thursday debris from the Titan had been found.
The mother and daughter want to honor their loved ones.
Christine Dawood said she and Alina plan to learn to solve Rubik's Cube like Suleman and continue Shahzad's philanthropic work.
"He was involved in so many things, he helped so many people and I think I really want to continue that legacy and give him that platform… it's quite important for my daughter as well," she said.
She told the BBC she did not want to discuss any investigation or controversy but hoped to one day find closure. "I miss them," she shared. "I really, really miss them."
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Experts say the 'Titan' suffered a 'catastrophic implosion.'
The cause of the Titan tragedy is under investigation, but experts believe the submersible imploded, killing all five men onboard. In addition to the Dawoods, OceanGate Inc. CEO and Titan captain Stockton Rush, 61, Hamish Harding, 58, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, are all presumed dead.
OceanGate released a statement Thursday regarding the tragedy.
"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. 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," the statement reads.
"This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss. The entire OceanGate family is deeply grateful for the countless men and women from multiple organizations of the international community who expedited wide-ranging resources and have worked so very hard on this mission. We appreciate their commitment to finding these five explorers, and their days and nights of tireless work in support of our crew and their families," it continues.
"This is a very sad time for the entire explorer community, and for each of the family members of those lost at sea. We respectfully ask that the privacy of these families be respected during this most painful time."
