Titanic submersible: FO condoles with Dawood family

Pakistan offered on Friday its condolences to the Dawood family after the US Coast Guard said that Pakistani-British Engro Corp. Vice Chairman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman aboard a submersible missing Titan had died.

In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said that Pakistan appreciates the multinational efforts over the last several days in search of the vessel.

The US Coast Guard said on Thursday that the five people aboard a missing submersible Titan died in what appears to have been a “catastrophic implosion”.

The submersible lost contact on Sunday morning with its support ship about an hour and 45 minutes into what should have been a two-hour descent.

The five people aboard included the British billionaire and explorer Hamish Harding, 58; Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman, both British citizens; French oceanographer and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, who had visited the wreck dozens of times; and Stockton Rush, the American founder and chief executive of OceanGate, who was piloting the submersible.

“These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans,” OceanGate Expeditions, the US-based company that operated the Titan submersible, said in a statement.

“Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time.”

Meanwhile, the Dawood family said that it was grateful to all those involved in the rescue operations.

’’Their untiring efforts were a source of strength for us during this time.

We are also indebted to our friends, family, colleagues, and well-wishers from all over the world who have stood by us during our hour of need. The immense love and support we receive continues to help us to endure this unimaginable loss.’’

In a statement today, Engro Corporation Limited said that Shahzada joined the Board of the Company in 2003, and in his two decades of service to Engro, led the organization from strength to strength.

‘‘He was a strong advocate of corporate social responsibility and believed that Engro should be at the forefront of the drive to solve the nation’s most pressing problems,’’ the statement said.

‘‘Humility and approachability were his hallmarks, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew him.’’