An individual close to Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate, has made shocking claims, likening his actions to that of designing a “mouse trap for billionaires” and even accusing him of being responsible for the deaths of his clients.
Karl Stanley, an operator of submarines and a personal friend of Rush, was among the first passengers to embark on the experimental submersible called the Titan. Tragically, the Titan met its demise last month while en route to the Titanic wreck, resulting in the loss of all five individuals onboard, including Rush.
In a candid interview with 60 Minutes Australia, Stanley expressed his belief that Rush had foreseen the tragic outcome, stating, “He definitely knew it was going to end like this.” According to Stanley, during a previous dive, he had already experienced concerning noises emanating from the submersible. The implosion of the Titan led Stanley to assert that Rush was willing to take grave risks, both for himself and his clients, in order to achieve notoriety and historical significance.
Stanley recounted a harrowing experience during his descent on the Titan with Rush back in 2019 in the Bahamas. He vividly recalled hearing “loud gunshot-like noises” while submerged at great depths. Alarmed by the unsettling sounds, Stanley had shared his apprehensions with Rush, expressing concerns about a deteriorating area of the submersible’s hull. He even went as far as painting a vivid picture of the potential wreckage at the ocean’s bottom. However, despite Stanley’s earnest warnings, Rush seemed undeterred and remained convinced that the vessel was safe.
The tragedy that ensued on June 18 claimed the lives of not just Rush but also tourists Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood, and his son Suleman Dawood, as well as French Navy pilot Paul-Henry (PH) Nargeolet. The submersible, piloted by Rush, descended with the five passengers before losing contact with its mothership, the Polar Prince, at 9:45 am. Shockingly, OceanGate Expeditions took a staggering eight hours before reporting the sub as missing to the US Coast Guard.
The subsequent international rescue efforts to locate the missing sub were met with intense urgency and concern, as the passengers’ survival prospects dwindled with each passing hour. Tragically, days later, it was confirmed that the submersible had likely imploded, leading to the loss of all those aboard.
In the aftermath of the incident, debris from the imploded submersible was discovered near the Titanic site. This discovery, coupled with the finding of human remains during the recovery mission, sparked an investigation overseen by a team of investigators led by Superintendent Kent Osmond of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The focus of their inquiry is to determine whether criminal, federal, or provincial laws were potentially breached during the ill-fated expedition.
The events surrounding the Titan’s tragic demise have left many questioning the actions and decisions made by Stockton Rush. As investigations continue, those who perished will be remembered, and efforts to uncover the truth behind this devastating incident remain ongoing.
