So, let's just forget about what Rich did and focus on what someone else might have done in revealing the issue?
This is nothing more than a diversion.
We have a statement from his partner saying swooping this area was something that had been done in the past but he now realized that it shouldn't have been done and won't be done any more. Whether this was a mistake (obviously it was, one way or another) or intentional (which it was, a swoop can always be aborted), this guy is an I-E in many disciplines and the CHAIRMAN of safety and training.