MrBeast, the hugely popular YouTube creator known for his over-the-top stunts and challenges, said he had been invited on OceanGate’s submersible earlier in June but ultimately declined the offer.
“I was invited earlier this month to ride the titanic submarine, I said no. Kind of scary that I could have been on it,” MrBeast tweeted Sunday morning.
On Sunday, June 18, the Titan submersible operated by OceanGate that was diving to the wreckage of the Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean lost contact with its surface support ship. On Thursday, the company issued a statement that all five members on board were presumed to have died after the sub had a “catastrophic implosion.”
It’s not clear who may have invited MrBeast to come aboard the OceanGate vessel. Along with his tweet, MrBeast included an excerpt of a text message he apparently sent to someone saying, “I’m going to the Titanic in a submarine late this month. The team would be stoked to have you along.”
MrBeast (real name: Jimmy Donaldson) is the most-followed individual YouTube creator on the platform, with more than 162 million subscribers currently.
MrBeast is estimated to be the highest-earning creator on YouTube, amassing a fanbase for his big-money giveaways and stunts — including his 2021 viral reenactment of Netflix hit “Squid Game,” which awarded the winner a $446,000 prize — and an array of charitable initiatives.
The OceanGate Titan disaster captivated public attention across the globe. The event drew critical commentary from “Titanic” director James Cameron, who claimed that those in the diving community had been “very concerned” about the safety of the sub. In response, OceanGate co-founder Guillermo Söhnlein said in part, “I know from firsthand experience that we were extremely committed to safety and risk mitigation was a key part of the company culture.”
