Jay Bloom, a property financing tycoon, has revealed that OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush attempted to sell him cut-price tickets for the ill-fated Titanic dive, assuring him it would be safer than crossing the street.
Bloom, who was once a business partner of the late Everwood star Treat Williams, shared a series of text messages showing how Rush tried to sell him and his son, Sean. These spots eventually went to Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman. As far back as April, Rush started pushing a last-minute price of $150,000, a $100,000 discount from the usual $250,000. That steep discount was offered after Bloom admitted he and his son were worried about the safety of the sub that imploded, killing Rush and his four wealthy Titanic tourists. Rush replied that he was curious what the uninformed would say the danger is.
The businessman then listed perceived threats to the vessel, including attacks by giant sea creatures and anything that compromises the hull, suggesting it was likely really stupid stuff. While theres obviously risk, its way safer than flying in a helicopter or even scuba diving. There hasnt even been an injury in 35 years in a non-military sub, Rush wrote.
Bloom said the CEO was even more complacent in person, recalling the last time he met him to try to get him onboard the doomed sub. We talked about the dive, including safety, he said of the March 1 lunch and wandered through the Titanic Exhibit at the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Blooms hometown of Vegas. He was absolutely convinced that it was safer than crossing the street, Bloom wrote alongside the text messages.
I am sure he really believed what he was saying. But he was very wrong, wrote Bloom. He noted that the seats he turned down went to prominent Pakistan businessman Dawood and his son, who was also terrified of the Titanic trip but went along to please his dad. They died alongside Rush, who was piloting Titan, British billionaire Hamish Harding and French Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
Bloom said the sub deaths hit hard coming right on the heels of losing Treat Williams, another friend of 25 years and former business partner who died in a motorcycle crash in Vermont. Tomorrow is never promised. Make the most of today, he wrote.
Login