Tesla shares fall after CEO Musk abused British diver



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(Reuters) – Shares of Tesla Inc. fell 2.75% on Monday after chief executive Elon Musk led abuses on Twitter to one of the British divers involved in rescuing 12 Thai children last week.

A number of analysts and investors, asking for anonymity, told Reuters that Musk's comments add to their concerns that his public statements distract him from the activity Tesla's main business to produce electric cars. The sale of shares cost the company's market value nearly $ 2 billion.

Tesla shares closed at $ 310.10 before advancing 1.9% after trading hours. James Anderson, partner of Tesla's fourth largest shareholder, asset manager Baillie Gifford, described the weekend's events as "regrettable instance" and reiterated to the company the need for "peace" and execution "of its main activity. The billionaire entrepreneur's wave with British diver Vernon Unsworth began last week, after rescue teams rejected Musk's offer for a mini-submarine created by his company SpaceX rocket to save a 12-member football team. in the northern province of Chiang Rai.

PHOTO FILE: Elon Musk arrives to speak at the Boring Company Community Meeting in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA on May 17, 2018. REUTERS / Lucy Nicholson / Photo File

"It can sticking his submarine where it hurts "CNN reported Unsworth as saying. "It's absolutely no chance of functioning."

Musk replied on Twitter on Twitter: "We are going to make a (video) mini-subgroup going up to Cellar 5. No problem, sorry pedo guy, you've really asked for it." The tweet was later deleted.

Tesla spokespersons and lawyers have not responded to Reuters' e-mails and phone calls asking for comments on Musk's comments on Twitter.

Musk gave no evidence to claim that Unsworth was a pedophile. Unsworth said he would consider filing a lawsuit against Musk during remarks, in comments filmed in Chiang Rai on Monday by 9News of Australia. Reuters could not reach Unsworth to comment.

Unsworth's wife told Reuters on Monday that her husband would return to Britain on July 19, where he will turn to lawyers.

Last week, Narongsak Osottanakorn, the chief of the rescue operation in Thailand, rejected the Musk mini-submarine as not being suited to the task. Musk responded on Twitter on July 10, calling Osottanakorn "not the expert on the subject."

Diaporama (2 Images)

Musk regularly uses Twitter to criticize reports on Tesla, which has struggled to meet its own production targets for its Model 3 sedan, considered essential to the profitability of the company. 39; company.

Report of Sonam Rai in Bengaluru; written by Patrick Graham; Editing by Bill Rigby

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