Christine Dawood, the widow of Pakistani billionaire Shahzada Dawood, has revealed she gave up her seat on the Titan submersible so her husband and son could make memories together before they died in the tragic implosion. The sub, operated by OceanGate, imploded on June 18, 2023, as it descended to the Titanic wreck, killing all five people on board: Shahzada Dawood, 48, his son Suleman Dawood, 19, British billionaire Hamish Harding, OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, and French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
Speaking to The Guardian, Christine said she initially planned to join the expedition but gave her spot to her son, who was studying at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. She recalled advice from a Canadian Coast Guard member: 'Hindsight won’t help you, so don’t fall into that trap.' She added, 'Suleman wanted to go and I was happy to give up the seat. I was happy for him to make memories with his father. I can’t change that.'
Christine, who lives with her daughter in Surrey, said the instantaneous nature of the implosion gave her some comfort, knowing her husband and son did not suffer. A US Coast Guard report released in August 2025 concluded that the disaster was 'preventable,' citing OceanGate’s prioritisation of profits over safety and failures in the Titan’s design. The report stated that the company ignored warnings from industry experts and internal staff.
