Christine Dawood found herself facing a profound and devastating irony: a decision born of love and shared dreams that ultimately placed her son on a path to unimaginable tragedy. She had planned for years to embark on a deep-sea expedition to the legendary wreck of the Titanic alongside her husband. Yet, when the opportunity finally arose, she stepped aside, allowing her teenage son, Suleman, to take her place on the ill-fated Titan submersible.
This past June, the world watched with a mixture of dread and fading hope as the small vessel, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, disappeared during its descent into the North Atlantic. The search captivated global attention, culminating in the somber confirmation on June 22 that the submersible had suffered a catastrophic implosion, killing all five men aboard: Christine Dawood’s husband, Shahzada Dawood, their 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood, British billionaire Hamish Harding, French Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate.
The journey had been a long-held aspiration for the family. Christine Dawood revealed in her first interview since the tragedy that she and her husband had originally intended to make the dive together. Their plans had been set for years, but like so many endeavors worldwide, they were postponed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the expedition was rescheduled for this year, a new dynamic had emerged. Suleman, who had been too young for the trip when it was first conceived, was now 18 and eligible. Christine Dawood explained her decision simply, stating, “It was supposed to be Shahzada and I going down. And then I stepped back and gave the space to Suleman because he really wanted to go.
Asked directly about how she felt about this decision now, Christine Dawood reportedly declined to comment, a silence that speaks volumes about the weight of such a choice in hindsight. However, she did convey the enthusiasm shared by her husband and son before the dive, telling the BBC, “I was really happy for them because both of them, they really wanted to do that for a very long time.
Her son Suleman was, by all accounts, a young man with distinct passions. One of his great loves was the Rubik’s Cube. His mother described him as an obsessive, noting that he “did not go anywhere without his Rubik’s cube.” He taught himself how to solve the intricate puzzle using videos he found on YouTube.
Suleman was remarkably fast at it, his best time for solving the cube being 12 seconds. He harbored a specific, ambitious goal for his descent to the Titanic wreckage: he wanted to solve the Rubik’s Cube at the deepest point of the dive, 3,700 meters below the sea surface, in an attempt to break a world record. He had even applied to Guinness World Records for this feat, and his father had brought a camera to document the endeavor.
Shahzada Dawood, Christine’s husband and Suleman’s father, was remembered by his wife as a man of vibrant character. She described him as a passionate, fun-loving history buff with a “childlike excitement” about the world. He enjoyed watching documentaries late into the night and had a gift for connecting with people by sharing stories about his past. “His enthusiasm brought the best out of me,” Christine said.
While Shahzada and Suleman embarked on their journey into the deep, Christine and their 17-year-old daughter, Alina, remained aboard the Polar Prince, the submersible’s mother ship, on the surface. This vessel served as their base, a floating connection point to the unfolding expedition happening thousands of feet below.
The initial report of lost communication with the Titan came swiftly. Christine Dawood recalled being in the process of having a snack when she received the news that they had lost “comms” with the sub. At that precise moment, she told the BBC, she “didn’t comprehend at that moment what that meant.”
Following that disquieting notification, events quickly took a turn for the worse. The initial shock of the lost signal was delayed for perhaps ten hours, Christine Dawood said, as everyone on the Polar Prince held onto the belief that the submersible would simply resurface. There was an expectation, a hope, that the vessel was merely experiencing a delay.
Product on Amazon: In memory of Suleman Dawood
Binding: MP3 Music Product Group: Digital Music Purchase
Price: 0.99 USD
Shopping on Amazon >>
As the time window for the submersible’s planned return to the surface passed, the initial shock gave way to mounting worry and a growing sense of unease. Christine Dawood recounted the desperate hope that permeated the support vessel, saying, “There was a lot of hope.” They discussed potential actions the pilots might take, such as dropping weights, clinging to any possibility that the sub could still ascend.
Hope, however, has its limits when faced with the brutal realities of deep-sea physics and finite resources. Christine Dawood stated that her hope began to fade significantly after the crucial 96-hour mark had passed – the estimated duration of the oxygen supply aboard the Titan. It was at this point, she shared, that she messaged her family, conveying the grim reality she was beginning to accept: “I’m preparing for the worst.” This, she said, was when she personally lost hope.
Her daughter, Alina, displayed remarkable resilience and faith in technology throughout the agonizing wait, remaining hopeful until the devastating announcement that a ‘debris field’ had been discovered near the Titanic wreckage site. The U.S. Coast Guard later confirmed that this debris was consistent with a catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber, indicating the submersible had suffered a sudden and violent implosion under the immense pressure of the deep ocean.
Product on Amazon: THE MISSING SUBMERSIBLE: Untold Truths You Need to Know About the Titanic’s Dauntless Adventures and the Explorers Who Lost Their Lives
Binding: Kindle Edition Product Group: Digital Ebook Purchased
Price: 4.99 USD
Shopping on Amazon >>
The implosion, scientists and experts explained, would have been instantaneous and fatal for all five individuals inside. Given the extreme depths at which the Titan was operating, any failure in the hull structure would have led to an immediate collapse, leaving no possibility of survival.
In the wake of the tragedy, Christine Dawood and her daughter Alina held a funeral prayer for Shahzada and Suleman. It was a moment of somber reflection and farewell for the two men they had lost to the depths of the Atlantic.
Now, grappling with a loss that is both intensely personal and undeniably public, Christine Dawood reflects on the possibility of finding peace or closure. She ponders, “Is there such a thing? I don’t know.” The path forward is marked by the gaping absence left by her husband and son.
However, amidst the grief, small acts of remembrance and continuation have emerged. Christine and Alina have made a poignant pact to honor Suleman’s passion for the Rubik’s Cube. Despite admitting they are “really bad at it,” Christine said, “We promised ourselves we’re going to learn it for Suleman.” It is a quiet, determined effort to keep his memory alive.
They also intend to continue Shahzada’s legacy. Christine Dawood spoke of her husband’s extensive involvement in various endeavors and his dedication to helping many people. I think I really want to continue that legacy and give him that platform,” she said, acknowledging the importance of this work to her daughter Alina as well.
Reflecting on the profound void left in her life, Christine Dawood shared the simple yet heartbreaking truth that resonates deeply with anyone who has experienced loss: “I miss them. I really, really miss them.” She also spoke tenderly of Suleman being a “mama’s boy” who deeply loved his father, painting a picture of the close bond shared by the family.
The Dawood family hails from a prominent business background in Pakistan, with Dawood Hercules Corp. being one of the country’s largest companies, involved in sectors ranging from energy to agriculture. This background underscores the global reach of this tragedy, impacting families and industries across continents.
The Titan submersible, roughly the size of a minivan, had embarked on its voyage on June 18, aiming to explore the Titanic wreck lying approximately 12,500 feet below the ocean surface. It lost contact about 1 hour and 45 minutes into its descent, triggering the extensive search that ended with the discovery of the debris field.
The investigation into the causes of the implosion and the operational practices of OceanGate is ongoing. Authorities face significant technical and jurisdictional complexities, suggesting that a final, comprehensive report about the fate of the Titan and its passengers could take years to complete.
The tragedy has also brought increased scrutiny to the safety protocols surrounding such deep-sea tourism ventures. Critics pointed to prior warnings about the perceived risks associated with OceanGate’s operations. These warnings reportedly came from various sources, including journalists, individuals who had considered taking the trip, and even a producer from The Simpsons, Mike Reiss, who had previously traveled with the company.
Despite the chilling effect the disaster has had on the public’s perception of deep-sea submersibles, there are already plans underway to develop a new vessel capable of reaching similar depths. Billionaire real estate investor Larry Connor and Triton Submarines co-founder Patrick Lahey are collaborating on such a project.
Product on Amazon: Titan: The OceanGate Disaster – Lessons from the Deep and the Future of Underwater Exploration
Binding: Kindle Edition Product Group: Digital Ebook Purchased
Price: 5.99 USD
Shopping on Amazon >>
Lahey noted to The Wall Street Journal that the Titan tragedy had indeed had a “chilling effect on people’s interest in these vehicles,” and had “reignited old myths that only a crazy person would dive in one of these things.” He expressed surprise when Connor contacted him about a new venture so soon after the disaster.
Recalling the conversation, Lahey quoted Connor’s determination: “He called me up and said, ‘You know, what we need to do is build a sub that can dive to [Titanic-level depths] repeatedly and safely and demonstrate to the world that you guys can do that, and that Titan was a contraption.'” This effort highlights a desire within the industry to distinguish future, safer operations from the vessel that met such a tragic end.
As the investigations continue and the broader implications for deep-sea exploration are debated, the human story of the Titan disaster remains centered on the families left behind. Christine Dawood’s decision, born of a mother’s love and her son’s fervent wish, serves as a poignant and enduring reminder of the profound personal cost of this public catastrophe. Her quiet resolve, along with her daughter’s, to honor the legacies of Shahzada and Suleman by learning the cube and continuing their work offers a testament to the enduring bonds of family in the face of unimaginable loss.
