OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush allegedly created a 'mousetrap for billionaires,' claims friend: Report

A former passenger of the submersible that collapsed over the Titanic wreck last month, resulting in five fatalities, has claimed that the late CEO of OceanGate, Stockton Rush, was aware of the potential risks involved in Titan craft expeditions.

As reported by The Guardian, despite this knowledge, Rush allegedly proceeded with the creation of what the former passenger referred to as a 'mousetrap for billionaires.'

Karl Stanley, who was featured in an interview with 60 Minutes Australia on Sunday, revealed that he had cautioned his friend about the risks associated with the carbon fiber and titanium craft.

“He definitely knew it was going to end like this. He literally and figuratively went out with the biggest bang in human history that you can go out with,” Stanley said. “He was the last person to murder two billionaires at once and have them pay for the privilege.”

The Guardian further noted, “I think Stockton was designing a mousetrap for billionaires,” Stanley added.

Also Read: OceanGate suspends exploration, commercial operations after Titan submersible implosion

During the interview, Stanley mentioned that he had previously gone on a dive with Rush in the Bahamas in 2019 and he had no doubt in his mind that, "it was the carbon fiber tube that was the mechanical part that failed during the Titan’s final trip."

Images of fragments of the Titan captured in Canada revealed the presence of structural titanium rings at the front and rear of the submersible. These findings have led to the belief that the collapse of the carbon fiber tube was likely caused by the extreme water pressure at the depth of the accident.

At present, the incident is under investigation by multiple authorities, including the US Coast Guard, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, and the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch.

Also Read: James Cameron making a movie on OceanGate tragedy? Titanic director says THIS…

After his experience on the Titan, Stanley, the owner of Stanley's Submarines, a deep-sea exploration company based in Honduras, reportedly sent an email to Rush, expressing his concerns about suspected defects in the submersible, The Guardian reported.

“What we heard, in my opinion ... sounded like a flaw, defect in one area being acted on by the tremendous pressures and being crushed or damaged,” Stanley wrote in an email reported by CNN.

Stanley wrote to Rush, “From the intensity of the sounds, the fact that they never totally stopped at depth, and the fact that there were sounds at about 300 feet that indicated a relaxing of stored energy /would indicate that there is an area of the hull that is breaking down/ getting spongy.”

During his recent interview with 60 Minutes, Stanley revealed that when he expressed his concerns to Rush about the suspected defects in the submersible, Rush dismissed them and criticized "uninformed accusations from industry pundits."