Final moments of Titan passengers: A day of anticipation and dread

It has been more than a week since the tragic deaths of the five passengers onboard the submersible Titan. Now, the wife of one of the ill-fated passengers has opened up about how their last moments must have looked like.

Speaking to the New York Times, Christine Dawood, who is related to two passengers; Shahzada Dawood and Suleman Dawood revealed, that in their last moments,they must've been sharing music as the insides of the pod moved deeper into the ocean.

Titan's journey underwater

As per the report, the submersible's journey underwater was roughly supposed to take two and a half hours. The Titan typically descended at about 25 metres per minute or roughly one mile per hour and the speed was slow enough that there was no sense of motion.

Among the passengers were Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, a father-son duo driven by their fascination with the Titanic.

Also onboard was Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a renowned French scientist and Titanic expert, who intended to make his 38th dive to the wreckage.

Hamish Harding, a British airline executive, thrilled to be partaking in his first expedition of this kind, made the fourth passenger.

Lastly, Stockton Rush, the founder and CEO of OceanGate, piloted the submersible, aiming to leave a lasting legacy as an innovator.

Hours leading to the tragic descent

Christine Dawood recalls that in the hours leading to the tragic event, the passengers prepared for a unique journey to explore the wreckage of the Titanic; a journey that would've added their names to the list of people who have seen the famous shipwreck in person, but instead ended in a tragedy.

Talking to NYT, she recalls watching her husband, Shahzada, and son, Suleman, as they boarded the Titan submersible from the support ship.

Excitement filled the air as they embarked on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Suleman brought a Rubik's Cube, while Shahzada carried his Nikon camera, eager to capture the mesmerising sights through the porthole.

The two men had a strong fascination with the Titanic and had planned to experience the dive together. OceanGate, the company behind the expedition, marketed itself as a unique opportunity to explore the world's most famous shipwreck.

As the passengers prepared for the final dive, Hamish Harding posted updates on social media, sharing photos and expressing excitement. Little did he know that these posts would be his last.

A sunny day takes a dark turn

As the Titan descended into the depths of the ocean, Christine remained on the support ship, watching the submersible disappear beneath the waves. The sun was shining, and everything seemed calm and promising.

Shahzada's enthusiasm was palpable, exclaiming, "I'm diving tomorrow! I'm diving tomorrow!" His anticipation was infectious, and Christine recalled how he resembled a joyful child.

Just hours later, Christine overheard murmurs about a loss of communication with the Titan. The United States Coast Guard confirmed the disconnection after one hour and forty-five minutes into the dive.

Anxiety washed over Christine as she rushed to the bridge, where the team monitored the submersible's descent. She was reassured that sporadic communication was not uncommon.

She hoped for a swift reconnection. However, as the afternoon wore on, the realisation sank in that something was gravely wrong—Titan and its crew were missing.

Four days later, the Coast Guard announced the discovery of debris from the Titan, indicating its implosion and the instantaneous loss of all onboard.

(With inputs from agencies)

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