Additional Coverage:
Jay Bloom, an investor from Las Vegas, and his son Sean were offered an opportunity to join an expedition on OceanGate’s Titan submersible. Bloom recounted to Newsweek how OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush, personally reassured him in March 2023 about the vessel’s safety, even offering a significant discount on the ticket price. Despite Rush’s assurances, safety concerns led Bloom and his son to fabricate a scheduling conflict as an excuse not to participate.
In an interview with Newsweek a year after the tragic event, Bloom shared his experience of being invited on a voyage to explore the Titanic wreck aboard the Titan. Rush had attempted to convince Bloom of the submersible’s safety by highlighting its advanced construction materials and downplaying the industry’s focus on safety measures. Despite reassurances that the trip would be safer than many everyday activities, the Blooms decided against joining the June 2023 expedition.
The Titan embarked on its journey to the Titanic on June 18, 2023, but disappeared less than two hours into the dive. Subsequent searches led by the US Coast Guard and OceanGate revealed on June 22 that wreckage found on the ocean floor indicated the submersible had imploded, tragically killing all five members onboard, including Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, British-Pakistani multimillionaire Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, along with former French navy diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
Reflecting on the disaster, Bloom expressed his shock and the haunting realization of the close parallel between himself and the Dawood family, noting the eerie similarity in their ages. Despite the harrowing incident, Bloom mentioned that he might still consider exploring the Titanic wreck on a Navy-led expedition or one conducted by explorer James Cameron. He likened his cautious stance on such ventures to choosing between a spacecraft built by a reputable figure like Elon Musk versus a makeshift project, highlighting his emphasis on safety and professionalism.