Christine Dawood, wife and mother of Titan passengers describes her futile wait

Christine Dawood was on board a support vessel last Sunday when she got word that communications were lost with submersible carrying her husband and son, to view Titanic wreck.

She didn't initially understand what it meant that Titan submersible had lost contact with ship an hour and 45 minutes into its voy, Dawood told BBC on Monday.

It would be four more days before she would learn fate of her husband Shahzada Dawood and son Suleman Dawood, when authorities anunced on Thursday vessel carrying five people had imploded and re were survivors.

“We all thought y are just going to come up,” she said. “That shock was delayed about 10 hours or so. re was a time ... where y were supposed to be up on surface. When that time passed, that is when ... worry and t so good feelings started." Christine Dawood said she had “loads of hope” during international search for Titan, ting that it was “only thing that got us through it”.

“re were so many actions on sub that people can do in order to surface," she said of believing y may survive. “It was like a rollercoaster, more like a wave ... We kept looking at surface.” Christine Dawood said she “lost hope” when y passed 96 hour mark, sending a mess to her family that she was preparing for worst. Her 17-year-old daughter, Alina, was was still hopeful until call with US Coast Guard about finding debris from Titan.

Before launch, she recalled how she was laughing and joking with her husband and son. She was “very happy for m” because her husband and son had wanted to go down to Titanic for a long time.

An earlier trip in which she would have joined was cancelled due to pandemic. Suleman was too young at time go on voy.

“Shahzada was so excited to go down. He was like a little child,” Dawood said. “y both were so excited.” Her son, Suleman Dawood, had an unusual goal in addition to seeing Titanic wreck. “He said, I'm going to solve Rubik's Cube at 3,700 metres below sea at Titanic'," she said, ting that y were planning to film it. “He was so excited about this.” US Coast Guard anunced on Thursday that debris from submersible had been found roughly 1,600 feet (488 metres) from Titanic shipwreck on ocean floor. Titan imploded on its way to tour Titanic wreck, killing all five on board. Debris was located about 12,500 feet (3,810 metres) underwater.

Investigators from US Coast Guard, US National Transportation Safety Board, Transportation Safety Board of Canada, French marine casualties investigation board and United Kingdom Marine Accident Investigation Branch are working closely toger on probe of June 18 event that drew worldwide attention.

As investigation intensifies, memorials and funeral services for five people who died are expected to happen soon. Along with Shahzada Dawood and Suleman Dawood, those killed on vessel were OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, who piloted Titan; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

A funeral prayer service was held early Monday in Karachi, Pakistan for Shahzada Dawood and Suleman Dawood. Prayers will also be held for m Tuesday in Karachi at Dawood Foundation, charitable organization at which Shahzada was a member of Board of Trustees.

“In loving memory of our beloved sons, please join Dawood family as we pray to thank Allah for His immense blessings and forgiveness for Shahzada Dawood and Suleman Dawood,” foundation said on Twitter.