“Expedition Unknown” host Josh Gates considered dedicating an episode of his Discovery Plus docuseries to the mysteries of the sunken Titanic but after trying out the OceanGate’s Titan sub decided to pass.
As the search for the five people in the company’s tiny submersible entered its fourth day, with oxygen and hope running out, Gates tweeted, “I had the unique opportunity to dive in the @Oceangate
#Titan sub with Stockton at the helm in preparation for its maiden mission to Titanic.”
He continued, “To those asking, #Titan did not perform well on my dive. Ultimately, I walked away from a huge opportunity to film Titanic due to my safety concerns w/ the @OceanGate platform. There’s more to the history and design of Titan that has not been made public – much of it concerning.”
Gates also shared his hopes that his friend Hamish Harding, the billionaire adventurer, and the other passengers would be found alive. “I pray for a positive outcome to the rescue efforts of those aboard, including fellow @ExplorersClub member Hamish Harding.”
While much of the discourse on social media and TV has shown measured sympathy for the billionaires who paid $250,000 each to risk their lives, Gates wrote, “To those questioning why people would dive to Titanic: the ship has fascinated the world since the night she sank. It’s a time capsule to another era of our history. It takes courage to make a trip like this. Admiration and prayers for the passengers aboard OceanGate Titan.”
Gates’ production office did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
In Wednesday night’s new episode of “Expedition Unknown,” which is now in its 11th season, Gates and his team look for two WWI ships that “vanished without a trace” in Lake Superior.
