Christine Dawood has spoken in detail for the first time about the harrowing four days she spent waiting for signs that the Titan submersible, carrying her husband Shahzada and son Suleman, would surface. The vessel imploded during a dive to the Titanic wreck on 18 June 2023, killing all five on board.
In an interview at her home in Surrey, Dawood described how she was on the support ship when contact was lost. The 48-year-old businessman and his 19-year-old son were among those who died. Dawood, a trained psychologist, had originally planned to make the dive herself but gave her seat to Suleman.
During the 2020 lockdown, the family saw an advertisement for a dive to the Titanic and arranged it through their travel agency. Dawood recalled the media frenzy that followed news of the missing submersible, with reports of only four days of oxygen supply and intense social media speculation.
She credited a Canadian Coast Guard officer with giving her crucial advice after the search ended: “Hindsight won’t help you, so don’t fall into that trap.” Dawood said she holds that advice close and does not regret giving up her seat, as she was happy for her son to make memories with his father.
The family home contains a large Lego model of the Titanic, built by Suleman, which Dawood has chosen not to dismantle. She said people are often shocked to see it, but she sees it as a tribute to her son’s fascination with the ship.
