A family friend of the Dawood family whose father and son died on the Titan submersible last week has spoken of the family’s devastation following the deep-sea tragedy.
The heartbroken wife and mom of Shahzada and Suleman Dawood has been left “devastated”, according to Hammad Hassan, a close friend of the family, reports The Daily Express US.
This comes after the US Coast Guard confirmed that “probable remains” have been recovered along with the wreckage.
Shahzada, 54, and Suleman, 19, were two of the five tourists aboard the OceanGate submersible which was bound for the wreckage of the Titanic.
On Wednesday, the US Coast Guard said the remains were “carefully recovered within the wreckage” and will undergo analysis and testing.
READ MORE: Presumed human remains found after Titan submersible wreckage pulled from sea
Hammad Hassan, 28, a close friend of the Dawood family, said Christine was “understandably devastated” by the loss of her husband and son.
Speaking to Daily Express US, he said: “I had the opportunity to speak with Christine last night. She is understandably devastated by the loss of both her husband and son.
“Despite the profound grief she’s experiencing, she remains determined to carry forward the remarkable legacy of Shahzada and the impactful work he accomplished throughout his life.”
He added: “The strength and resilience shown by Christine and the entire Dawood family during this difficult time is truly inspiring.”
Hammad also revealed that two days ago the family organised and took part in an online funeral prayer to honour the “departed souls”.
The prayer was broadcasted on the Dawood Foundation YouTube channel on Monday so people could gather remotely and pay their respects to Shahzada and Suleman.
As the investigation into what happened to the Titan sub continues, Marine Board of Investigation Chair Captain Jason Neubauer said: “I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths.
“The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions into the cause of this tragedy.”
Neubauer implied the investigation will take some time as there is a “substantial amount of work” to be done, and to “help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.”
The sub lost contact with the surface around an hour and 45 minutes into its dive to the Titanic wreckage, sparking frantic search.
Days later it emerged the sub suffered a “catastrophic loss of pressure” killing all five passengers on board.
Pictures have now emerged of the doomed sub being pulled from the water off the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St John’s, Newfoundland.
Crews worked to remove debris from the water on Wednesday, with images showing chunks of metal with wires hanging down being carried by cranes from the ocean to the land.
Reacting to the images, Hassan said: “These photos bring a heavy heart as I reflect on the profound loss of my dear friend Shahzada and others who were aboard.
“Seeing the remnants of the vessel that carried them on their ill-fated voyage to the Titanic wreckage is a poignant reminder of the magnitude of the tragedy.
“It is a somber visual representation of the challenges and risks involved in exploring the depths of the ocean.”
Three others joined Shahzada and Suleman on the OceanGate sub: CEO Stockton Rush, French explorer Paul-Henry Nargeolet, and British explorer and billionaire Hamish Harding.
Christine Dawood revealed in an interview with the BBC that she and her 17-year-old daughter Alina had joined her husband and son on the Canadian research vessel Polar Prince before the expedition to the Titanic began.
Christine told the BBC: “I think I lost hope when we passed the 96 hours mark.”
She added: “I said: ‘I’m preparing for the worst.’ That’s when I lost hope.”
