Azmeh Dawood is speaking out about her nephew, Suleman Dawood, who was one of five passengers who reportedly died on the Titan submersible while on a Titanic-bound excursion on Sunday.
Speaking to NBC News, Azmeh shared that Suleman went on the voyage to the historic underwater site to please his father, Shahzada Dawood.
According to Azmeh, Shahzada had a passion for the Titanic from a young age and was not surprised that he had purchased tickets to travel on the OceanGate submersible for himself and his son.
Prior to the vessel’s June 18 departure, Shahzada shared his excitement for the excursion in an Instagram post, writing that he was “proud” to take part in the voyage as a mission specialist.
“Due to the worst winter in Newfoundland in 40 years, this mission is likely to be the first and only manned mission to the Titanic in 2023,” he added in the post’s caption. “A weather window has just opened up and we are going to attempt a dive tomorrow. We started steaming from St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada yesterday [Friday] and are planning to start dive operations around 4 a.m. tomorrow morning [Sunday]. Until then we have a lot of preparations and briefings to do.”
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Since the trip was scheduled to depart on Father’s Day, Suleman reportedly decided to go on the trip reluctantly after having shared with a relative that he “wasn’t very up for it” and felt “terrified,” Azmeh explained to NBC News.
Before the U.S. Coast Guard and OceanGate announced their death on Thursday, Azmeh revealed that she was anxiously awaiting answers and feared the worse.
“I feel like I’ve been caught in a really bad film with a countdown, but you didn’t know what you’re counting down to,” she said. “I personally have found it kind of difficult to breathe thinking of them. I never thought I would have an issue with drawing breath. It’s been unlike any experience I’ve ever had.”
In a statement to NBC News, Hussain and Kulsum Dawood, Azmeh and Shahzada’s parents, thanked search teams for their “untiring efforts” and asked for the public to keep their family in their prayers, expressing, “The immense love and support we receive continues to help us endure this unimaginable loss.”
Speaking about their death in a statement to PEOPLE, OceanGate described Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, along with fellow passengers Stockton Rush, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeole, as “true explorers.”
“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,” the statement read. “We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew.”
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