Stockton Rush was on a "predatory" hunt for rich people to go on OceanGate's expeditions to the Titanic, despite the safety risks, another submarine industry businessman has claimed.
Patrick Lahey, the president of Triton Submarines, expressed his concerns regarding the deceased Mr Rush, one of the five victims of Titan's deadly implosion while on a trip to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
He referred to Rush's pursuit of prominent clients as "predatory," suggesting that Rush was aggressively seeking endorsements for his business.
It comes as tributes are pouring in for the five people lost, while authorities are carrying on a investigation to determine the exact circumstances under which the June 18 tragedy unfolded.
Mr Lahey told the Times that Mr Rush was on a pursuit for prominent clients: "He could even convince someone who knew and understood the risks... it was really quite predatory."
Mr Lahey believed that Rush could convince even those who were aware of the dangers associated with the mission.
Mr Lahey considered Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a close friend and Titanic expert who died during the expedition, to have understood the risks involved.
Mr Lahey had advised Nargeolet against participating, emphasizing the potential dangers.
He said: "It’s a terribly sad thing that his life ended that way but PH knew the risks. I told him in very candid terms why he shouldn’t be out there. He understood.
"I believe PH thought in some way that by being out there he could help these guys avoid a tragedy but instead he ended up in the middle of one.
"I told PH that going out there in some way sanctioned this operation. I said: ‘You’re becoming an ambassador for this thing; people look at you and your record and the life you lead and things you’ve done, which are extraordinary, and in some ways you are legitimizing what [OceanGate] are doing."
Mr Lahey criticised Rush's technological innovations, particularly his use of a cylindrical carbon fiber hull with titanium end caps, in contradiction to his own technology.
He mentioned that filament-wound cylinders were considered unpredictable by Lloyds Register, a maritime certification body, decades ago.
According to Mr Lahey, this combination was deemed dangerous and debunked by experts in the field.
He said: "At the very time this monstrosity was being made, I was building the most capable subs of our age."
In contrast, Mr Lahey highlighted the Triton 3600/2, a submersible manufactured by Triton Submarines, which was accredited by an internationally recognized third-party agency to take humans to full ocean depth.
The businessman expressed his sorrow upon learning about the tragedy and shared that he, his wife, and his daughter were deeply saddened by the news.
He also mentioned that he had received messages thanking him and others who had warned against joining OceanGate's expedition.
