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Suleman’s search for father’s remains unsuccessful so far

“The support from people all over the world and the American Samoa people is a factor in continuing the search for my father so we can take him home,” says Hiba Suleman, who was here for a week with Global Diving & Salvage, an off-island diving company, that was contracted by the Suleman family to assist in continuing the search for the body of Babar Suleman, who was killed with his son, Haris, when their Beech aircraft crashed into the ocean just off of Pago Pago International Airport on July 23, 2014.

 

The body of Haris was recovered soon after the crash, however the body of the father was never found.

 

Hiba, who leaves tonight (Monday night), told Samoa News that the diving team started their search on Tuesday, however nothing was found. She said while the team had used specialized sonar equipment to conduct the underwater search, the area of interest they want to search is relatively deep, and because of the lack of a remotely operated vehicle they will have to ship that from off island to continue the search.

 

“It’s a continuing search, a longer endeavor as the team has done everything they can with the resources they have,” said Hiba. She said the search is possible because of numerous donations from all over the world, and funding that was allocated for the search of her father’s body. Asked if they are looking at taking parts of the plane back to the mainland, Hiba said “No... I’m here to search for my father and to take him home.”

 

She was also accompanied by a friend, who was to shoot a documentary highlighting the search for her father’s remains — hopefully with a successful ending. The documentary is currently on hold, while a decision to keep searching will need to be made in the near future.

 

Hiba is extremely thankful to the people of American Samoa and the American Samoa government for the courtesy and kindness they have shown her since her arrival. She told Samoa News her father and brother loved American Samoa and its people and even more so when her older brother came to the territory.  She said he was overwhelmed with the support by the people and the kindness they have shown to their family, and for that she’s extremely thankful.

 

Asked if she will return to the island, Hiba said that it’s unclear at this time, however with the support that has been shown by people all over the world, as well as by American Samoa, it’s a factor in deciding to continue the search.

 

Global Diving & Salvage, according to their website, is known as the largest diving contractor on the West Coast, and provides marine construction and infrastructure support services in the United States.

 

The father and son team, Babar and Haris Suleman, who were residents of Indiana, had hoped to set the record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe in a single-engine airplane with the youngest pilot (17-year old Haris) in command. The trip was also a fundraiser for Seeds of Learning, a Plainfield nonprofit organization that works with The Citizens Foundation to build schools in rural Pakistan. After seven years of volunteering with the organization, Haris and his father decided to take their charity work to the next level with their plane trip.