As the world reels from the shocking news of the Titan submersible implosion, the aunt of the youngest victim has expressed her heartfelt sentiments over the loss of her nephew.
Those onboard the ill-fated OceanGate sub were British billionaire Hamish Harding, French maritime expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, father and son Shahzada and Sulaiman Dawood, and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.
Now known as the "Titan Five", the men were part of an expedition down to the depths of the Titanic wreckage, which lays 12,500ft below the surface of the Atlantic ocean.
Azmeh Dawood, mourning the loss of her brother and her "sweet precious" nephew Suleman, shed light on the events leading up to the ill-fated voyage. In her conversation with NBC, she shared that 19-year-old Suleman was fearful of the trip, but agreed to go along with it as a Father's Day treat.
In the days leading up to the expedition off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, the teenage university student expressed his apprehensions. According to Azmeh, Suleman told a relative he was "terrified" and "wasn't very up for it". Nevertheless, he accompanied his father, Pakistani businessman Shahzada, as a means of celebrating Father's Day.
The heartbroken aunt shared her anguish with NBC News, saying: "I am thinking of Suleman, who is 19, in there, just perhaps gasping for breath ... It's been crippling, to be honest."
She went on to express her despair when OceanGate, the company conducting the expedition, confirmed the presumed death of all passengers aboard the Titan. The US Coast Guard disclosed on Thursday that the found debris was consistent with a "catastrophic implosion."
In the days following the incident, Azmeh says she has remained glued to the news, desperately hoping for a positive update about her loved ones. The entire experience, she said, felt like being stuck in a "bad film, with a countdown, but you didn't know what you're counting down to."
The Daily Mail quoted Azmeh, saying: "Suleman didn't have $250,000 or an interest in the Titanic. An interest because his father loved it but his interests were different."
She added that she is "glad Suleman didn't have to live through seeing his father struggling or feeling guilt". Azmeh mentioned her brother's history with panic attacks and was "tremendously relieved" to know the end was instant.
The Titan tragedy has led to several relatives of Titanic passengers calling for an end to voyages down to the wreckage.
Helen Richardson, the great-great-granddaughter of a Titanic survivor, has urged people to refrain from visiting the wreck site, saying: "It should be left alone. It is a site where all those poor people lost their lives, and a tragic site even for those who survived."
Julie Cook - great-grandaughter of Titanic stoker William Bessant - believes that the "harrowing" stories of the 1,500 people who died on the passenger liner have been lost in "glamourized portrayals" of the Titanic in movies and pop culture.
"The reality of their plight has been distorted and trivialized, reduced to jokes, games, and tasteless events," she added.
On June 22, OceanGate confirmed the suspected demise of all five passengers aboard the Titan.
The company released a statement saying: "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."
OceanGate's statement further added: "This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss."
Our thoughts remain with anybody impacted by this tragedy.
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