Jay Bloom, a financier from Las Vegas, said that he declined two spots on the Titan Oceangate voyage owing to schedule issues.
Bloom presented images of his text chats with the co-founder of Oceangate in which he voiced his fears about his son's safety. He claimed that Stockton Rush had given him discounted tickets for the trip.
After a search and rescue effort, the submersible Titan's remains were discovered on Thursday. On June 18, the expedition departed, but it was shortly reported missing. The submersible's implosion was verified.
Jay said on Facebook that he had been invited to join the dive after learning that the submersible had been reported lost.
The businessman declared, "Had I accepted, I would've been one of the five onboard right now."
He continued by saying that Stockton Rush, the OceanGate co-founder and CEO, had been pleading with him to take the trip for "a year."
Bloom said in a subsequent post that he "opted out due to scheduling" and did not go the trip.
Bloom presented images of his text chats with the co-founder of Oceangate in which he voiced his fears about his son's safety. He claimed that Stockton Rush had given him discounted tickets for the trip.
After a search and rescue effort, the submersible Titan's remains were discovered on Thursday. On June 18, the expedition departed, but it was shortly reported missing. The submersible's implosion was verified.
Las Vegas tycoon Jay Bloom dropped out of Titan trip
Jay said on Facebook that he had been invited to join the dive after learning that the submersible had been reported lost.
The businessman declared, "Had I accepted, I would've been one of the five onboard right now."
He continued by saying that Stockton Rush, the OceanGate co-founder and CEO, had been pleading with him to take the trip for "a year."
Bloom said in a subsequent post that he "opted out due to scheduling" and did not go the trip.
Businessman claims he expressed safety concerns to Rush
Rush was informed about Bloom's safety concerns, according to a Facebook post he made following the implosion of the submersible.
Rush allegedly informed him that "while there is obviously risk, it's way safer than flying in a helicopter or even scuba diving" and that "there has not been an injury in a non-military sub in 35 years," according to him.
"I am sure he really believed what he was saying," Bloom wrote. However, he was dead wrong. He had a strong sense of conviction about his work.
Additionally, the businessman sent Rush images of his text exchanges. Sean, his son, had done study on the "marine life at that depth and perceived threats to the vessel" before being invited to join him on the Titan voyage.
In Bloom's words,
Bloom’s seats went to the Dawoods, he saysAccording to him, Shahzada Dawood, 48, and Suleman Dawood, 19, received Bloom's and his son's seats.
Stockton Rush, 61, a former French Navy diver, Hamish Harding, 58, a British adventurer and entrepreneur, and Paul-Henry Nargeolet, 77, were the three passengers that perished on the voyage.
According to Rear Admiral John Mauger, the debris discovered on Thursday was consistent with the "catastrophic implosion of the vessel."
Due to the "incredibly unforgiving environment" of the water, he said he was impossible to say if the corpses of the passengers will be found.
Rush allegedly informed him that "while there is obviously risk, it's way safer than flying in a helicopter or even scuba diving" and that "there has not been an injury in a non-military sub in 35 years," according to him.
"I am sure he really believed what he was saying," Bloom wrote. However, he was dead wrong. He had a strong sense of conviction about his work.
Additionally, the businessman sent Rush images of his text exchanges. Sean, his son, had done study on the "marine life at that depth and perceived threats to the vessel" before being invited to join him on the Titan voyage.
In Bloom's words,
Bloom’s seats went to the Dawoods, he saysAccording to him, Shahzada Dawood, 48, and Suleman Dawood, 19, received Bloom's and his son's seats.
Stockton Rush, 61, a former French Navy diver, Hamish Harding, 58, a British adventurer and entrepreneur, and Paul-Henry Nargeolet, 77, were the three passengers that perished on the voyage.
According to Rear Admiral John Mauger, the debris discovered on Thursday was consistent with the "catastrophic implosion of the vessel."
Due to the "incredibly unforgiving environment" of the water, he said he was impossible to say if the corpses of the passengers will be found.