As they were enclosed inside the submersible, Christine watched anxiously from the support ship, accompanied by their daughter, Alina.
"You sit in a plane without knowing how the engine works," said Christine.
The Dawood family's fascination with the Titanic began in 2012 when they visited an exhibition commemorating the ship's 100th anniversary. This passion grew, leading them to OceanGate's offer to explore the Titanic. In 2019, the family visited Greenland and was intrigued by the glaciers that sheathed into icebergs that's when Ms. Dawood spotted an OceanGate ad, offering trips to the Titanic, reported New York Times.
The Dawood family encountered cramped cabins during their journey. In order to accommodate everyone, the husband and wife resorted to sleeping in bunk beds, with the wife occupying the top bunk. Each of the children was assigned their own cabin. As for meals, the family gathered together in the ship's galley, where they enjoyed buffet-style dining, with food served on trays.
Every day, at both 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., hour-long or even longer all-hands meetings were held onboard the ship, Polar Prince. Main idea was to keep the paying customers; the “explorers, adventurers, and citizen scientists" to be active participants.
OceanGate's marketing material portrayed a blend of excitement and scientific exploration, appealing to a mix of clients seeking both validation and adventure. Mission participants, referred to as "mission specialists," received personalized gear and embarked on what OceanGate described as "SpaceX for the ocean." The adventurers were given shirts and jackets embroidered with their names and the flags of their countries while A patch on the sleeve read, “Titanic Survey Exploration Crew."
However, OceanGate faced criticism and skepticism within the submersible community. Concerns were raised regarding the submersible's cylindrical design, the size of the porthole, and the durability of the materials used. Despite these doubts, Rush continued to take on customers and make revisions to address safety concerns, reported New York Times.
OceanGate had planned a series of expeditions to the Titanic site. Unfavourable weather conditions in May and June and rough seas prevented the previous four attempts from reaching the Titanic. The ill-fated dive marked the final mission, known as Mission V.
On Father's Day, a British-Pakistani businessman and his son embarked on a journey to explore the wreckage of Titanic, but the expedition ended in tragedy.
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