It has been over a week since the tragic deaths of the five passengers aboard the submersible Titan, and now, the wife of one of the passengers has shared her thoughts on their final moments.
In an interview with the New York Times, Christine Dawood, who is related to two of the passengers, Shahzada Dawood and Suleman Dawood, revealed that she believes they were sharing music as the pod descended deeper into the ocean.
According to the report, the submersible was expected to be underwater for about two and a half hours. The descent of the Titan was typically slow, moving at a speed of about 25 meters per minute or roughly one mile per hour, making it difficult to sense any motion.
Among the passengers were Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, a father and son who were fascinated by the Titanic. Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a renowned French scientist and Titanic expert, joined them, intending to make his 38th dive to the wreckage. Hamish Harding, a British airline executive excited about his first expedition of this kind, was also on board. Lastly, Stockton Rush, the founder and CEO of OceanGate, piloted the submersible, hoping to leave a lasting legacy.
Christine Dawood remembers the hours leading up to the tragic event, as the passengers prepared for a unique journey to explore the Titanic wreckage, hoping to add their names to the list of those who have seen the famous shipwreck firsthand. She watched as her husband and son boarded the Titan submersible, filled with excitement and anticipation.
Suleman brought a Rubik’s Cube, and Shahzada carried his Nikon camera, eager to capture the awe-inspiring sights through the porthole. Both men had a deep fascination with the Titanic and had planned to experience the dive together. OceanGate marketed the expedition as a rare opportunity to explore the world’s most famous shipwreck.
As the passengers prepared for the final dive, Hamish Harding shared updates and photos on social media, expressing his excitement, unaware that these would be his last posts. Meanwhile, Christine remained on the support ship, watching the submersible vanish beneath the waves, the sun shining and everything seeming calm and promising.
Shahzada’s enthusiasm was infectious, exclaiming, “I’m diving tomorrow!” He resembled a joyful child in his anticipation. However, just hours later, Christine heard murmurs of a communication loss with the Titan. The United States Coast Guard confirmed the disconnection after one hour and forty-five minutes into the dive.
Anxiety gripped Christine as she rushed to the bridge, where the team monitored the submersible’s descent. She held onto the hope that communication would be swiftly restored. However, as the afternoon wore on, the harsh reality set in—Titan and its crew were missing.
Four days later, the Coast Guard announced the discovery of debris from the Titan, indicating its implosion and the tragic loss of all lives on board.
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