Mom of teen who died on Titanic sub says she let son go on trip in her place

The mother of the 19-year-old who died in the Titan submersible disaster has revealed that she had originally planned to go on the trip herself.

Christine Dawood told the BBC in an exclusive interview that she and her husband, Shahzada Dawood, had first planned to make the trip together.

However, they had to cancel their plans after the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

When it was once again possible to make the trip, she said that she had instead let her son Suleman go with his dad as he had been keen to make the trip.

However, the trip ultimately ended in disaster when the OceanGate Titan submersible carrying the Pakistani businessman and his son imploded, killing everyone on board.

American Photo Archive/Alamy

In addition the Dawoods, there was also British businessman Hamish Harding, OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, and former French Navy diver Paul-Henry Nargeolet.

Mrs Dawood told the BBC about the moment that she was informed that the Titan was missing.

She said: "I didn't comprehend at that moment what it meant - and then it just went downhill from there. I think I lost hope when we passed the 96 hours mark. I said: 'I'm preparing for the worst.' That's when I lost hope."

Mrs Dawood and her daughter Alina, 17, had boarded the Polar Prince, the vessel from which the Titan could be launched, on Father's Day.

They had hugged and made jokes before the pair boarded the ill-fated submersible.

She said: "I was really happy for them because both of them, they really wanted to do that for a very long time."

Suleman had also taken along his Rubik's cube, which he would 'carry everywhere with him' and was able to solve the puzzle in just 12 seconds.

BBC

Mrs Dawood said that he had intended to break a record while on the trip.

She said: "He said, 'I'm going to solve the Rubik's Cube 3,700 metres below sea at the Titanic'."

The Titan lost contact with the surface shortly after launching on 18 June. It was later reported that US navy hydrophones had picked up a bang in the area at around the time that the sub had lost contact.

After rescuers found debris from the submersible it was confirmed that the vessel had suffered a catastrophic implosion while around 500 metres from the wreck of the Titanic, killing everyone on board more or less instantly.

Speaking about her late husband and son, Mrs Dawood said: "I miss them. I really, really miss them."