Jewish billionaire real estate developer Jay Bloom revealed that he and his son were offered two seats on the ill-fated Titan submersible, but due to safety concerns and scheduling conflicts, he declined the invitation. Instead, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Suleman, occupied the available seats, and ultimately perished.

Bloom disclosed that  OceanGate Expeditions co-founder and CEO Stockton Rush had approached him in February, proposing the dive to the Titanic in May. However, due to weather conditions, the dives were postponed and ultimately rescheduled for June 18th.

Sharing his apprehensions about safety, Bloom said in a Facebook post on Thursday, “I expressed safety concerns, and Stockton told me, ‘While there’s obviously risk, it’s way safer than flying in a helicopter or even scuba diving. There hasn’t been even an injury in 35 years in a non-military sub [sic].'”

“I am sure he really believed what he was saying. But he was very wrong,” Bloom added.

Bloom said he and Rush visited the Titanic exhibit at the Luxor Hotel & Casino in March, where they discussed the dive and safety measures. Bloom recounted, “He was absolutely convinced that it was safer than crossing the street.” During their meeting, Rush gifted Bloom a book of photos signed by himself and maritime expert Paul Henri Nargeolet, who was also one of the unfortunate passengers.

Despite his initial interest, Bloom ultimately decided against joining the expedition due to scheduling conflicts. Reflecting on recent personal losses, he remarked, “As for Sean and I, after this right on the heels last week of losing Treat Williams, another friend of 25 years and former business partner, we are going to take a minute to stop and smell the roses. Tomorrow is never promised. Make the most of today.”

Bloom also shared text exchanges with Rush, in which he expressed his son’s concerns about the potential dangers. Rush responded by offering a video call to address their worries. The billionaire also mentioned that Rush had offered him a discounted price of $150,000 for a last-minute seat on the Titan, compared to the standard $250,000 fare.

Initially, Bloom took to Facebook to announce his invitation to the dive while the submersible was still missing. He expressed his astonishment, stating, “So this is crazy. I got invited to go on this dive. If I accepted, I would’ve been one of the five onboard right now.”

On Thursday, officials confirmed that the debris field discovered near the Titanic wreckage was indeed the submersible, and all five passengers had tragically lost their lives in a “catastrophic implosion.” Alongside Rush, Nargeolet, Dawood, and his son, British billionaire Hamish Harding also perished during the ill-fated expedition.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)