His aunt said that nineteen-year-old Sulaiman Dawood, one of the men aboard the Titanic submarine that was lost during the Titanic shipwreck campaign, had expressed “concern” about the voyage.
Azmeh Dawood, the elder sister of Pakistani businessman Prince Dawood, revealed in an interview on Thursday that her nephew Sulaiman had voiced his hesitation and feelings of “terror” regarding the trip.
Despite his reservations, the young man eventually boards Oceangate’s 22-foot submersible. He wanted to please his father—who was deeply fascinated by the history of the Titanic—and the excursion coincided with Father’s Day weekend, Azmeh shared.
Speaking from his home in Amsterdam, Azmeh expressed his devastation upon learning that all five passengers aboard the Titan were presumed dead, as confirmed by Oceangate. The US Coast Guard reported that debris found in the search area indicated a “catastrophic explosion”.
The past four days have been filled with anguish for Azmeh as she anxiously followed news coverage of the Titan discovery, seeking updates on the well-being of her brother and nephew despite anticipating the worst possible outcome.
She shared her disbelief and described the experience as “surreal” and said the emotional toll has been overwhelming for her.
“I feel like I got caught in a really bad movie with the countdown, but you didn’t know what you were counting down to.
“I personally find it hard to breathe thinking about them,” she said.
The Azmehs and Shahzadas are one of Pakistan’s leading corporate families, known for their business empire, Dawood Hercules Corp, with investments in various industries.
Shahzada served as vice-chairman of the Engro Corporation in Karachi and was an advisor to the Prince’s Trust International, a charitable organization founded by King Charles III.
Although Azmeh had lost contact with Shehzada in recent years due to differences over the use of medicinal cannabis to ease symptoms of primary progressive multiple sclerosis, she maintained a close relationship with Suleiman, whom she described as kind.
The tragic turn of events has deeply affected Azmeh, leaving her devastated and mourning the loss of her beloved nephew.
