Pakistani teen joined Titanic expedition as Father's Day gift for dad, says aunt

It was Father’s Day, June 18, in the UK, US and Canada when Titan began its journey to the depths of the ocean to see the Titanic shipwreck. For 19-year-old Pakistani Suleman Dawood, it was a special day as he joined the voyage as a Father's Day gift for his dad, Shahzada Dawood.

This revelation — shared by Azmeh Dawood, older sister of Pakistani-British businessman Shahzada — added a heart-rending touch to the tragic news of the Titanic sub's 'catastrophic implosion', which claimed the lives of all its five passengers.

Azmeh told NBC in a video interview on Friday (UAE time) that her nephew, Suleman, “informed a relative that he wasn't very up for it and felt ‘terrified’ about the trip to explore the wreckage of the Titanic.”

“But the 19-year old ended up going aboard OceanGate's 22-foot submersible because the trip fell over Father's Day weekend and he was eager to please his dad, who was passionate about the lore of the Titanic,” NBC wrote as told to them by Azmeh.

Azmeh told NBC that her “baby brother” was "absolutely obsessed with the Titanic from a young age.” In fact, when they were kids in Pakistan, the Dawood siblings – who are scions of one of the most prominent corporate dynasties in the South Asian country – would constantly watch ‘A Night to Remember’, a 1958 British historical film recounting the final night of RMS Titanic that sank on her maiden voyage in 1912.

The Dawood family also said in a separate interview that Shahzada was interested in "exploring different natural habitats", and had previously spoken at both the United Nations and Oxford Union.

Shahzada, Azmeh noted, “also loved going to see museum exhibitions featuring artefacts recovered from the wreckage.” So, she was not surprised that her brother had purchased tickets (worth $250,000 each) for the OceanGate expedition.

Shahzada's fascination with the Titanic might have surely rubbed off on his son Suleman, who most likely must be aware that the mission was likely to be the first and only manned mission to the Titanic in 2023.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Azmeh and Shahzada's parents asked people to "keep the departed souls and our family in your prayers". They also thanked the search teams for their "untiring efforts".

"The immense love and support we receive continue to help us endure this unimaginable loss," Hussain and Kulsum Dawood said.

• All 5 Titanic sub passengers lost: World leaders, Hollywood director, explorers pay tributes