In a brief statement, Stanley expressed concerns about Rush’s daring aspirations, stating, “The only question is, ‘When?’ He was risking lives to be remembered in history, becoming more famous than anything else he could’ve achieved.”
Reflecting on their 2019 dive aboard the Titan in the Bahamas, Stanley remembered hearing “loud, gunshot-like noises” every few minutes, describing it as an unsettling experience at such depths, especially for a submersible with limited prior deep-sea use.
Stanley claimed he raised these alarming issues in numerous heated calls and emails to Ocean Gate’s CEO, warning about a deteriorating area in the hull that would only worsen over time. Despite painting a vivid picture of a potential underwater disaster, his efforts seemed insufficient.
Confident in his assessment, Stanley attributed the catastrophic implosion of the Titan sub to a mechanical failure in the carbon fiber tube. E-mails obtained by Insider revealed Stanley’s desperate attempts to convey the defect in the hull and his fear of an imminent, disastrous outcome.