The teenage son who was killed in the Titanic sub was ‘terrified’ about the trip, with his aunt saying he only agreed to the voyage for Father’s Day.
The vessel went missing less than two hours into its deep sea voyage with five passengers on board - OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, French diver Paul Henry Nargeolet, British billionaire Hamish Harding, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Sulaiman Dawood.
After days of extensive searching in the Atlantic Ocean, last night the US Coast Guard said it believes the submersible ‘imploded’ and suffered a ‘catastrophic failure’.
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In a statement addressing the suspected fate of the passengers, OceanGate said: "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.
"This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss."
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The aunt of teenager Sulaiman Dawood has since paid tribute to her nephew, saying he would do ‘anything for anyone’.
Azmeh Dawood said his character was so generous, that he even only went on the sub for his father, having not been ‘very up for it’.
Despite being ‘terrified’, he went on the journey as a treat for Father’s Day, Azmeh said, as his father was fascinated by the Titanic wreckage.
Speaking just before they were confirmed to have died, she told NBC: "I am thinking of Suleman, who is 19, in there, just perhaps gasping for breath... It's been crippling, to be honest."
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She continued: "Suleman had a sense that this was not okay and he was not very comfortable about doing it.
"But it was a Father's Day thing. It was a bonding experience and he wanted the adventure of a lifetime just like his father did.
"His father wanted it and that was Sule all the way - he'd do anything for anyone."
Azmeh said Shahzada had been interested in the Titanic since he was a young boy, adding: "It was his biggest wish, dream, everything.
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"For Shahzada he fulfilled his dream in an extraordinary way.
"He's become part of the Titanic legend. I mean, in those terms, it could be nothing greater."
Topics: World News, Titanic
Jess Hardiman