I gave my place on Titan sub to my son

Mum wanted teenager to experience unique voyage

- CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN

THE grieving mother of Titanic submersible victim Suleman Dawood has told how she gave up her place on the doomed trip for him.

Christine Dawood stayed on the vessel's mother ship, Polar Prince, as her Strathclyde University-educated son and her husband Shahzada descended.

It is now thought the submersible imploded that same day, June 18, but Christine spent days hoping rescue teams would find the Titan intact. 

Christine says the family’s planned trip to the depths of the Atlantic was delayed by Covid. When OceanGate's trips resumed, Suleman’s enthusiasm made her alter the plans. 

She said: I stepped back and gave them space to set Suleman] up because he really wanted to go.’ 

Of her son and By husband, 48, she added: I was really happy for them asbothof them, they really wanted to do that for a very long time’.

It was an hour and 45 minutes into the trip when Christine and her daughter Alina, 17, were told communications with the submersible had been lost.