The US Coast Guard, on 22 June, announced that the five crew members aboard the submersible Titan, were killed in a catastrophic implosion of the vessel, which was enroute the wreckage of the Titanic.
Among those killed, was a prominent British Pakistani businessman, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman. Mr Dawood was a vice-chairman of Pakistani conglomerate, Engro Cooperation.
A resident of London, Mr Dawood was a supporter of King Charles’ charity, the British Asian Trust, a charity working to tackle widespread poverty in South Asia.
Asian Sunday reached out to the trust for a statement. They said: “The British Asian Trust is deeply saddened by the tragic news that our supporter Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman have passed away. They were on board the missing submarine that set off to see the wreck of the Titanic.
“Shahzada was a wonderful and generous man who supported our work in South Asia for many years, while his son was just emerging into adulthood with a promising future ahead.
“Our hearts and prayers are with family and friends at this unimaginable time of grief and loss. Our deepest condolences to them and everyone else who lost loved ones in this terrible incident.”
Mr Dawood’s family also have released an obituary statement on his unfortunate passing.
“Family values are a guiding beacon for the Dawood family and Shahzada always strived to emulate these, teaching his children to do the same. He was passionate about philanthropy and giving back because above all, he cared deeply about people and human development. He was an avid gardener and photographer, always on the lookout for technology and tools that would help him improve; these hobbies were an extension of his passion to better himself,” the statement read.
It adds, “Shahzada was focused on extending the entrepreneurial legacy of the family with
the setup of businesses in renewable energy and technology domains, with an ardent belief that these would engender prosperity for thousands of Pakistani families.”
On his son, Suleman, the statement reads, “Suleman is remembered fondly by Engro colleagues as a tall young man walking around with his beloved Rubik’s cube and a smile on his face. He loved science fiction literature and volleyball, but his greatest quality was the humility he espoused which was a true reflection of his parents’ upbringing. He was keenly aware of the past efforts of his family that enabled him to have the experiences he did, and he never took them for granted.”
Shahzada Dawood is survived by his wife Christine Dawood and daughter Alina Dawood.