Rush, known for his persuasiveness in enticing individuals for his perilous deep-sea explorations, had on board the likes of French Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Patrick Lahey, President of Triton Submarines.
Lahey, an acquaintance of Nargeolet, told The Times that Rush's persistent persuasions were "quite predatory." Despite an extensive understanding of the dangers, Nargeolet had agreed to join the fatal dive. Lahey, whose company Triton Submarines has been instrumental in producing and testing over 60 human-rated submersibles, confessed that he had forewarned Nargeolet about the potential risks.
Lahey shared with The Times, "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."
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Lahey's criticism was not exclusive to Rush's persuasiveness but extended to the credibility of OceanGate's operations. He lamented, "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."
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Lahey claimed that Rush had previously dismissed concerns about the submersible, which he called a "monstrosity" designed with obsolete and unpredictable parts. Lahey's suspicion resonated with others, whom he had cautioned against participating in the OceanGate expedition.
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Adding to the litany of warnings, Rob McCallum, a consultant for OceanGate, expressed his concern to Rush, stating that the CEO was compromising passenger safety by disregarding third-party certification of his submersible. However, Rush rejected these safety warnings as "baseless cries" and a "personal insult."
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The fatal accident also claimed the lives of British explorer Hamish Harding, 58, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son Suleman, 19. The disaster has left the oceanic exploration community in deep sorrow, with Lahey lamenting, "I sat here with my wife and daughter and we just wept and wept."
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