MrBeast, the wildly popular YouTube creator known for his over-the-top stunts and challenges, said he was invited on OceanGate’s submersible earlier in June but ultimately declined the offer.
“I was asked earlier this month to pilot the titanic submarine, I said no. Kind of scary that I could have been on it,” MrBeast tweeted Sunday morning.
More Variety
On Sunday, June 18, the OceanGate-operated submersible Titan which was diving towards the wreckage of the Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean lost contact with its surface support vessel. The company released a statement on Thursday that said all five members on board were presumed dead after the submarine suffered a “catastrophic implosion”.
It is unknown who may have invited MrBeast to board the OceanGate ship. Along with his tweet, MrBeast included an excerpt from a text message he apparently sent to someone saying, “I’m going to the Titanic in a submarine at the end of this month. The team would be delighted to have you with us.
MrBeast (real name: Jimmy Donaldson) is the most followed individual YouTube creator on the platform, with over 162 million subscribers currently.
MrBeast is estimated to be the highest-earning creator on YouTube, amassing a fan base for his big giveaways and stunts – including his 2021 viral reenactment of Netflix hit “Squid Game,” which awarded the winner a prize of $446,000 – and a range of charitable initiatives.
The OceanGate Titan disaster captured public attention around the world. The event drew critical comments from ‘Titanic’ director James Cameron, who said members of the diving community were “very concerned” about the safety of the submarine. In response, OceanGate co-founder Guillermo Söhnlein said in part, “I know from experience that we were extremely committed to security and that risk mitigation was a key part of the company culture. .”
The best of variety
Subscribe to the Variety newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.