The father and son who perished in the Ttitan submarine implosion would have spent their final moments in total darkness, looking through the sub’s small window for glowing animals and listening to their favorite songs.
Christine Sawood, Shahzada’s widow and Suleman’s mother, believes so. She gave an interview to the New York Times.
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48yearold millionaire Shahzada Dawood and his 19yearold son Suleman were among the five occupants of the submersible Titan, which imploded while on a reconnaissance trip to the Titanic wreck.
To keep themselves entertained during the long descent, they were instructed to upload their favorite songs and play them through a Bluetooth speaker.
Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate, who died on the sub with the four others, banned country music, Christine Sawood, Shahzada’s widow and Suleman’s mother, told the New York Times.
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On descent, the interior lights were turned off to conserve battery power. Christine thinks they sat in the dark in the dim light, looking for bioluminescent creatures floating past the small observation window.
Originally it was Christine who wanted to go downstairs with her husband. But after the first trip was postponed due to the pandemic, Suleman joined the tour instead.
Suleman and his father almost missed their trip after a flight to St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, where the Polar Prize ship departed that took the Titan and her passengers to the wreck of the Titanic. “We were actually really worried and we were like, ‘Oh my God, what if they canceled that flight too?'” Christine told the New York Times. “Of course, in hindsight, I wish they had.”
Christine was on the ship Polar Prince with her 17yearold daughter Alina. They were there to support Shahzada and Suleman before leaving for the expedition.
narrow spaces
The days leading up to the dive were filled with safety briefings, with passengers confined to a confined space. Still, she claims the two were thrilled. “He was like a little kid, excited,” Christine told the newspaper of her son’s excitement.
Titan’s passengers were instructed to wear thick socks and a hat, as temperatures would drop as the submersible reached deeper water.
They were advised to eat a “lowresidue diet” without breakfast the day before the dive.
There was no toilet in the tiny submersible, just camping gear behind a curtain.
Christine and her daughter watched Titan sink during her final descent. Contact with the submarine broke off after an hour and 45 minutes of travel.
The wreck of the submarine was found on Thursday, June 22nd.