‘Lot of Red Flags’: Billionaire Father-Son Duo Reveals Reason for Not Going on Doomed Sub

They felt something was wrong about the submarine even as the CEO insisted it was ‘safer than crossing the street’

The OceanGate logo is pictured on a trailer at the Port of Everett Boat Yard in Everett, Washington, on June 20, 2023. Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images

Jay Bloom, a billionaire real estate developer from Las Vegas, revealed recently that he and his son Sean were offered seats in the Titan submarine but had turned down the proposal due to conspicuous safety concerns.

Sean was worried about the Titan sub and talked with his dad about it, he said in a June 23 interview with CNN. He reportedly saw a video of Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions who led the trip, walking through the Titan. “I saw a lot of red flags. It was only meant for five people. I just did not think that it can survive going that low into the ocean … Ultimately I ended up warning my dad about it, and he ended up agreeing with me.”