Years before embarking on the unfortunate Titanic-bound submersible, Shahzada Dawood, one of the five crew members that perished in the Atlantic Ocean, survived a ‘deep plunge’ on a plane with his wife, Christine Dawood.
According to his wife, Christine, she and Mr. Dawood experienced a terrifying plane scare that made them rethink life.
“The start was uneventful, and so was most of the cruising, but just as the seatbelt signs came on to alert us to our imminent landing approach, the plane took a deep plunge,” Christine wrote in a 2019 blog post.
“I later read that a plane doesn’t drop more than three to five metres during turbulence, but my stomach in that moment would beg to differ. The whole cabin let out one simultaneous cry, which turned to a whimper and then silence. Dead silence.”
She continued, “There was a moment of stillness when we were out of the clouds but the relief I longed for didn’t come. As the plane turned, my side lifted forcing me to look down to my left. My husband faced me, our eyes locked and our hands interlinked. No words were needed. He was as scared as I was and yet we were together. ‘Until death do…’ No, don’t go there!”
Eventually, the pilot managed to land the plane safely, and they took a sigh of relief. However, according to Christine, in those moments of panic and fear of death, her husband reflected on “all the opportunities he’d missed and how much he still wanted to teach our children.”
Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, 19, were two of the five people killed when the OceanGate submersible suffered a ‘catastrophic implosion’ just 1,600ft from the bow of the Titanic.
The other victims were OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, French Navy veteran Paul-Henri (PH) Nargeolet and British billionaire Hamish Harding. They had been missing since the Titan sub vanished on Sunday, prompting a nail-biting search for the crew.
The cause of the implosion is still under investigation, but it is believed to have been caused by a sudden change in pressure. The submersible was designed to withstand pressures up to 1,000psi, but it is possible that the pressure inside the submersible exceeded this limit, causing it to implode.
The US Coast Guard confirmed that a debris field on the ocean floor had been discovered in the search operation for the missing Titan submersible.
In a devastating update, the company behind the deadly voyage confirmed the news of their death and said all five people have been lost. This means that their bodies may never be recovered as they have perished in the unforgiving ocean.
The Dawood family released a statement on Twitter, saying “it is with profound grief that we announce the passing of Shahzada and Suleman Dawood.”
“Our beloved sons were aboard OceanGate’s Titan submersible that perished underwater.”
“Please continue to keep the departed souls and our family in your prayers during this difficult period of mourning.”
The family said they were grateful to the rescue teams and to their friends and family for their support.
“The immense love and support we receive continues to help us to endure this unimaginable loss.”
The deaths of Shahzada and Suleman Dawood have been a tragedy for their family and friends. They were both young and accomplished men with bright futures ahead of them. Their deaths are a reminder of the dangers of underwater exploration.
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