"According to emails exchanged between Stockton Rush, OceanGate's CEO, and a deep sea exploration expert, Rush consistently disregarded warnings about the submersible's safety before his tragic death on board the Titan. Rush dismissed concerns raised about the safety measures of the Titan, referring to them as unfounded accusations originating from rival industry players who aimed to hinder new entrants from entering their established market.
The correspondence between Rush and Rob McCallum, a prominent specialist in deep sea exploration, abruptly ceased when OceanGate's legal team threatened legal action, as confirmed by McCallum. In one email sent in March 2018, McCallum cautioned Rush, stating that he believed Rush was placing himself and his clients in a perilous situation. McCallum drew parallels to the famous declaration that the Titanic was unsinkable, cautioning Rush against rushing towards the same overconfidence.
McCallum revealed that he repeatedly urged OceanGate to obtain certification for the Titan before deploying it for commercial tours. However, the vessel was neither registered with international agencies nor classified by a maritime industry group responsible for establishing fundamental engineering standards.
Among more than three dozen industry leaders in the field of submersible vessels, McCallum was one of the signatories of a 2018 letter warning Rush about potential "catastrophic" issues associated with the development of the Titan.
In one email, McCallum implored Rush to exercise utmost caution during testing and sea trials and to adopt an extremely conservative approach. Nevertheless, Rush expressed his frustration, considering such warnings as baseless accusations that he had heard too frequently. He took personal offense at claims suggesting that someone would be killed due to his actions.
Defending his company's approach as "engineering focused" and "innovative," Rush emphasized that it defied conventional submersible practices. He asserted his own qualifications to comprehend the risks and challenges involved in underwater exploration using a new vehicle."