British-based Pakistani tycoon and his teenage son are among five people who perished aboard the Titanic tourist submarine.
The US Coast Guard announced on Thursday that the remains of the submersible vessel lost in the Atlantic Ocean had been found by an ROV on the ocean bed near the wreck of the famed liner.
Its support vessel, the Canadian research icebreaker Polar Prince, lost contact with it approximately one hour and 45 minutes after it submerged on Sunday morning.
Follow the latest updates on the missing Titanic submarine here
The wreckage of the Titanic – which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after it hit an iceberg – is located at a depth of 12,500 feet. First discovered in 1985, the ship’s remains sit in two separate parts southeast of Newfoundland, the most easterly province of Canada.
Business advisor Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son Suleman have been named as two of the people on board the submersible.
The father and son took part in the expedition with French submersible pilot Paul-Henry Nargeolet and chief executive and founder of OceanGate Expeditions Stockton Rushton and British billionaire Mr Harding.
In a new statement before the discovery of Titan’s remains, the family described Mr Dawood as “a loving father” and said Suleman was a university student.
48-year-old business advisor Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood died aboard the Titan— (WEF)
“Shahzada is a loving father to Suleman and Alina, husband to Christine, brother to three siblings, and son to Hussain & Kulsum Dawood. His 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood, is currently a university student,” the statement said.
“Shahzada has been actively advocating a culture of learning, sustainability, and diversity in his capacity as Vice Chairman of Pakistan’s Engro Corporation. Passionate about social impact, he works extensively with the Engro Foundation, The Dawood Foundation, the SETI Institute, and Prince’s Trust International.
“Out of the office, he has spoken passionately at the United Nations in 2020 on International Day for Women & Girls in Science and Oxford Union in 2022. His interests include photography, especially wildlife photography, and exploring different natural habitats while Suleman is a big fan of science fiction literature and learning new things.
“Suleman also takes a keen interest in solving Rubik’s Cubes and enjoys playing volleyball.”
Mr Dawood, who was a business advisor serving on the board for Prince’s Trust International, lived in a Surrey mansion with his wife Christine, son Suleman and daughter Alina, according to MailOnline.
The Dawood family is among the richest in Pakistan but has strong links to the UK.
This image shows the 4am start of the RMS Titanic Expedition Mission 5 on the morning of 18 June 2023— (Dirty Dozen Productions/AFP/Getty)
Mr Dawood studied Law at the University of Buckingham in 1998, later completing a master’s degree in Textile Marketing at the University of Philadelphia in 2000.
Mr Dawood’s father, 79-year-old Hussain Dawood, is the chairman of the Pakistan-based Dawood Hercules Corporation as well as the Engro Corporation, responsible for manufacturing chemicals and fertilisers, food and energy respectively.
Mr Dawood was the vice-chairman of both his fathers’ companies as well as a member of the founders’ circle of British Asian Trust, an international development organisation working across South Asia.
