Elon Musk is facing backlash after a series of tweets aimed at a British diver who took part in the Thai cave rescue.
Last week the world watched as a youth soccer team and their coach were brought out of the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai. Musk had traveled to the site to offer a small custom built submarine to help with the rescue. Diver Vern Unsworth, who helped lead the effort, told CNN the device had no chance of working because it was too rigid to handle the cave’s tight turns, and called the offer a publicity stunt. Thai officials said the sub was well made but not practical for this mission, though it could be useful in future rescues.
Musk answered on Twitter. According to news reports, he called Unsworth a “pedo guy” and suggested he was suspicious. When another user challenged him, he reportedly replied, “Bet ya a signed dollar it’s true.” Musk offered no evidence for the claim, and Unsworth has not been accused of any crime. The tweets have since been deleted.
Asked by CNN whether he would take legal action, Unsworth answered, “Yes, it’s not finished.” He said the remark also reflected on everyone who helped in the rescue.
Tesla shares fell about 2.75 percent on Monday, and analysts said the controversy was a distraction for the company. Earlier in the week Musk told Bloomberg he planned to be less combative online. Musk has not publicly responded to Unsworth’s legal comments yet.
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