Las Vegas businessman Jay Bloom was eager to offer his Titanic-obsessed son Sean Bloom a “bucket list” adrenaline rush journey to the ocean’s depths, but Sean began seeing warning signs everywhere.
Sean, 20, says that the only reason his dad didn’t go was because he warned him, “Dude, this submarine cannot survive going that deep in the ocean.” The submarine wasn’t designed to go so far, so he was concerned that it wouldn’t be able to sustain that type of pressure.
He started looking much more closely at the real submersible they would be in for the almost three-mile descent into the freezing water off the coast of Newfoundland with his buddy Simon, who was also worried about the safety of the Titan.
Sean remarks that five people are jammed into that little submarine. It just seemed really dangerous. He had a feeling that this was the wrong decision.
Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate and one of the tragedy’s five victims, traveled to Las Vegas to see Jay in March. Later, they discussed the voyage and safety concerns after seeing the Titanic display at the Luxor Hotel.
Rush essentially argued that this was safer than flying a helicopter since he knew he was a helicopter pilot. Compared to scuba diving, it’s safer. And Rush said at lunch that it’s safer than crossing the street, Jay narrates. He had a wonderful heart and really believed in what he did and said. However, he would just disregard anything that went against his worldview since he didn’t want to hear it.
He continues, saying that Rush really believed what he was saying. But since he was so invested in his job, Jay didn’t want to bring up the safety issues again. And everybody who objected just had a different viewpoint.
Jay claims Rush made a major effort to make the travel arrangements. He was doing research and engaging in other scientific activities. He said he was utilizing visitors to pay for it. He was paying observers to accompany him as part of his method of funding, according to the witness.
The businessman shared messages between him and Rush concerning the canceled expedition on his Facebook page. Rush made an effort to persuade Jay to go on the trip, even providing a sizable discount and labeling Sean and his buddy Simon as “uninformed.”
Rush was contacting him about available slots a week or two out, as recently as the end of May or mid-May. Jay says that Rush offered him $100,000 off each of their tickets.
He claims he had the impression that the CEO did not believe their journey would be hazardous. He had such a strong belief in this concept and was so enthusiastic about it. He drank his own Kool-Aid, and Jay says he couldn’t be persuaded to stop. He doesn’t believe Stockton himself comprehended the risk, or did not wish to comprehend the risk.
Rush, in Jay’s opinion, made the error of not having some independent body evaluate his work and take any criticism seriously.
And he acknowledges that the thought of viewing the Titanic for himself was alluring.
It’s extremely, very thrilling, to reiterate. diving to the Titanic was really seductive. Great for one’s bucket list, he adds. But one want to do it so one may learn from it in the future. Additionally, they were unable to get beyond the safety issues.
Interestingly, Rush finally had Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman occupy the two seats. The adolescent accepted the trip despite being “terrified” and “not up for it,” according to his aunt Azmeh Dawood, but he did it since it was Father’s Day and he intended to do it for his dad.
One family was talking about a close call, while another was lamenting the loss of a teenager and his father due to two dads, two boys, and two different options.
Only those 17 years old and under were allowed to participate in OceanGate. Some people dispute whether minors should have been permitted to go on the risky journey. Sean, however, asserts that he was of legal age to decide for himself.
He adds that he made the conscious choice not to do this. They both decided not to go after he warned his father that it was a horrible idea. It’s absurd that those who went were in a position identical to his and his father’s.
Jay claims that seeing the Titan disaster news in the media serves as a daily reminder of how close he and his kid were to becoming victims.
He cannot avoid it. There is a narrative every time he opens his computer or turn on the television. They display the individuals’ photographs, he claims. And he come across this photo of this guy from Pakistan and his kid. That would be their image if not for God’s mercy.
Rush’s arrival in Las Vegas, where Sean, Jay, and Rush were supposed to meet, raised Sean’s first worry about him. They reportedly questioned Rush’s decision to arrive at a North Las Vegas airfield rather than a busy airport like McCarran.
He responded that he made this aircraft with his hands, and he is testing it right now. And their reaction was “What?” That raised his first alarm, he says.
But more than that, he continues, was the submersible itself. He expresses worry that has been discussed extensively on social media, saying that he was shocked to discover that the submersible was being controlled by a video game controller.
His worries rose as he continued to study the Titan. At first, he had assumed the submarine would resemble those used by Titanic discoverer Robert Ballard.
Sean explains that the machinery they were using to go down there, these were massive submarines that could handle the pressure. And Stockton’s submarine didn’t seem to be at all prepared. He recently saw a lot of caution signs at the project. This operation didn’t appear to be secure. And now all of this is coming out about how it wasn’t.