Wow! So heartbreaking! The older sister of Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood spoke with NBC News and said she feels “absolutely heartbroken” that her brother and her 19-year-old nephew were aboard the Titan vessel and died.
“I feel very bad that the whole world has had to go through so much trauma, so much suspense,” Azmeh Dawood said in a phone interview Thursday. “I feel like I’ve been caught in a really bad film, with a countdown, but you didn’t know what you’re counting down to,” she said, while fighting back tears. “I personally have found it kind of difficult to breathe thinking of them.”
RELATED: OceanGate Releases Statement Saying The Missing Submarine Passengers Have “Sadly Been Lost”
Azmeh claimed that her nephew did not want to go on the submarine but agreed to take part in the expedition because it was important to his father. Azmeh said her nephew “wasn’t very up for it” and “terrified,” she claimed, explaining that the 19-year-old expressed his concerns to another family member. “If you gave me a million dollars, I would not have gotten into the Titan,” she said.
OceanGate, the company behind the missing Titanic sub, has said they believe the crew have “sadly been lost”.
“We now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, have sadly been lost,” the company said in a statement.
This comes as the US Coast Guard confirmed the debris found belonged to the missing sub.
“These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans,” according to the statement. “Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew.”
The full statement added: “This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss.
“The entire OceanGate family is deeply grateful for the countless men and women from multiple organisations of the international community who expedited wide-ranging resources and have worked so very hard on this mission.
“We appreciate their commitment to finding these five explorers, and their days and nights of tireless work in support of our crew and their families.
“This is a very sad time for the entire explorer community, and for each of the family members of those lost at sea.
“We respectfully ask that the privacy of these families be respected during this most painful time.”