Teen Who Died On Titanic Sub Was 'Terrified' But Joined Tour To Please Dad On Father¡¯s Day

OceanGate, the private company behind the $250,000-per-seat expedition, has confirmed that the five passengers on board the vessel are now presumed dead. During a press conference on Thursday, the US Coast Guard revealed that they had discovered the missing Titan's pressure chamber along with other debris.

The pressure chamber was located approximately 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic on the ocean floor.

The individuals identified by their family members are Stockton Rush, the founder, and CEO of OceanGate Expeditions; Hamish Harding¡ªa British billionaire; Paul-Henri Nargeolet¡ªrenowned French diver; Shahzada Dawood¡ªa Pakistani billionaire, and his 19-year-old son Suleman.

Titanic

The aunt of the teenage passenger, who is now presumed deceased after the implosion of the Titanic sub, stated that he was reportedly terrified about the expedition.

In an interview published before the tragedy, Azmeh Dawood, the sister of Dawood, shared with NBC News that her nephew was filled with fear and reluctantly agreed to join the expedition due to his father's intense fascination with the Titanic.

According to reports, Suleman expressed his apprehension to family members and admitted that he wasn't enthusiastic about the tour.

She further mentioned that the trip coincided with Father's Day weekend, and he was determined to make his father happy by participating in the expedition.

"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," Ms Dawood told NBC. "I personally have found it kind of difficult to breathe thinking of them."

Expressing her strong sentiment, Ms. Dawood stated that she would not have boarded the Titan even if offered a million dollars.

She also emphasized her deep sorrow, revealing her profound heartbreak, just before the US Coast Guard announced that remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs) had discovered debris associated with the Titan.

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"I feel very bad that the whole world has had to go through so much trauma and suspense," she said.

A prominent staff member raised serious safety concerns about the Titan five years before the tragedy. OceanGate terminated David Lochridge, the director of marine operations, in 2018 on the grounds of contract violation, alleging that he revealed secret information about the company's designs to two people and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

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However, in a wrongful termination lawsuit obtained by The New Republic, Mr. Lochridge countered that he was dismissed for whistleblowing about safety problems related to the Titan.

As stated in the lawsuit, Mr. Lochridge provided substantial updates to senior management, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, expressing serious concerns about the ship's quality control.

He highlighted various alleged issues, such as "visible flaws" in the carbon fiber hull, "widespread flaws" in a scale model, the presence of flammable materials on board, a viewing window that was not rated for the depth comparable to the Titanic's, and the absence of crucial safety documents that were not shared with him.

In a statement released Thursday evening, OceanGate expressed deep sorrow for losing the five passengers aboard the Titan and expressed gratitude to international authorities for their dedicated efforts.

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"These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world¡¯s oceans," the press release read.

"Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and the joy they brought to everyone they knew. 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 organizations of the international community who expedited wide-ranging resources and have worked so very hard on this mission."

According to the US Coast Guard, there is a possibility that the bodies of the five passengers will never be retrieved from the Atlantic Ocean.

Although remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs) will continue to be deployed, the Coast Guard has announced that equipment will gradually be withdrawn over the next 48 hours.

The Rear Admiral informed that sonar buoys had been deployed for the past 72 hours, but no indications of an implosion were detected. This suggests that the unfortunate incident likely occurred early during the dive.

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