Fire on dive boat Conception in CA

[2airishuman]

The system is called rescue 21, and the panic button from either VHF radio or Single Sideband goes to that system.

If it was properly programmed. There is no regulation for that vessel requiring it to be so.

And if someone pressed and held the EMG button on the radio for 5 seconds. A voice call sometimes makes more sense because it will reach nearby vessels, that are in a position to assist, more quickly -- as was in fact the case here.

If time permits, or no one answers the voice mayday call, then you trip the EMG button and hope that Rescue 21 picks up the transmission. The system is designed around the idea of rescuing people in lifeboats or in the water with PFDs on, not around the sort of 3 minute response you might get if you call 911 and say your house is on fire.

 

[SapphireMind]

Coast guard rep on press conference said she spoke to the person who received the mayday call. She confirmed he was trying to ask questions, not that he was responding to information given to him.

 

[Scuba-74]

2. Did the charter allow individuals to use that bunk for sleeping? If so, you could have had an incapacitated / unconscious person blocking the only way out.

Yes. A person who actually slept on that bunk has commented earlier in the thread.

 

[Saniflush]

There are a bunch of different electrolyte and other parts that a 'lithium battery' can use and they have different characteristics for charging, discharge, costs and failure modes.

Found it.
A Rocket Science Solution To Lithium-Ion Battery Fires

 

[outofofficebrb]

Exactly. This would be like a taxi that had the doors being unable to be opened from the inside, no seatbelts, no airbags. There is a minimum standard of safety that is needed.

I did not realize the term "water taxi" had a notion that the operator or boat/captain had no liability/responsibility for safety. That is not what I meant when I used that term because I completely agree, there needs to be a standard of safety and it is obviously required to operate and have a license, CG inspected, etc.

In California, even when you charter a boat or get "boat dives" (not a liveaboard), you get on a boat with others and get to the dive site. Once you are there, you are again planning your dive and diving your plan. No one is in the water with you. You are on your own. There are no dive services. Outside of doing shore dives, this is by and large California's diving culture apart from the Truth liveaboards.

 

[SapphireMind]

I did not realize the term "water taxi" had a notion that the operator or boat/captain had no liability/responsibility for safety. That is not what I meant when I used that term because I completely agree, there needs to be a standard of safety and it is obviously required to operate and have a license, CG inspected, etc.

In California, even when you charter a boat or get "boat dives" (not a liveaboard), you get on a boat with others and get to the dive site. Once you are there, you are again planning your dive and diving your plan. No one is in the water with you. You are on your own. There are no dive services. Outside of doing shore dives, this is by and large California's diving culture apart from the Truth liveaboards.

The boat dives I've done does provide a modicum of assistance to the divers as well. Not huge amounts, but hands getting out of water/taking fins etc.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

My heartfelt sympathies go out to all involved in this tragedy.

We were on this boat about two years ago.

I would suggest investigators look at the dryer vent as a source if ignition.

The dryer vent at 3:30 in the morning?

 

[K_girl]

I have been on the Conception and Vision four times in the last three years (which both have a similar layout), and our same group is booked on the Truth for next weekend.

On my first trip I was assigned one of the top middle bunks in the rear which has access to the escape panel which is shown in the fifth picture posted by K-girl (Fire on dive boat Conception in CA)

As we slept on board upon arrival, someone (I am assuming the crew) had removed the panel by the first morning and I could see coats hanging on hooks swaying from side to side. So rather than climb down I exited my bunk by literally pushing myself up and out of the rear of my bunk and rolling out of the hatch and onto the floor. It wasn't really graceful as there wasn't a way to step up and out.

The bunk room steps would be below the TV on the right hand side that is shown in the same picture. To exit via the steps you would then need to make your way through the galley area to exit via the rear of the boat.

If the fire was already fully consuming the galley area, which seems likely based on what has been already been reported, it would be difficult to exit via the stairs through the galley and the alternate would be for people to climb up to either of the upper rear middle bunks (both bunks accessed the same panel) as even the panel exits into the rear of the galley area.

The escape panel was covered in the safety briefing on the first morning and the crew on all of trips were friendly, helpful and professional.

A very horrible situation for everyone onboard and their families, and my heart goes out to them. I frankly wonder what exactly I would have done in the various scenarios playing in my head considering I was happier getting lower bunks in subsequent trips.

I remembered something about my trip in 2006. There was a hatch above the bunk near the stern area and I thought it was very odd that you had to climb into an upper bunk bed to get out. The safety briefing was not done downstairs in this area, it would have been too crowded, but these hatches may have been mentioned in the briefing upstairs. On that trip, I made it a point to find it. There was no way to lock the stairways near the bow because there was no door. So using the words "blocked" and/or "locked" for each of these exits would be speculation at this point. Here is a picture of what I believe is the escape hatch at the stern area (furthest from stairs):

Conception Hatch

• K_girl
• Sep 3, 2019
• 1

 

[KathyV]

Just a comment relative to discussions about costs and LOBs. There may be some assumptions that the more expensive LOBs are for people that want to be coddled and just play "follow the leader" on dives.

I never object to a little coddling! But I have been on various types of LOBs including basic economy, middle-of-the-road, and higher-end, more luxurious vessels.

On the more expensive boats it has been my experience that you will get the amount of attention that you want. If you don't want anyone messing with your gear, just tell the crew and they will leave it alone. There is usually a dive instructor in the water leading the first dive at each location, but you can choose to follow him/her or go off on your own, or dive at a later time after the DI exits. Of course for drift dives you are asked to go in as a group and only during times when chase boats are in the water to pick you up.

The dive crew will communicate the expectations for a safe dive, like returning with 500 lbs., doing a safety stop, maximum depth, etc. but nobody is checking your gauges - unless you ask them to. They will do a dive briefing at each new site, but the less expensive boats also do briefings, at least that has been my experience.

 

[JohnnyC]

"Blocked" could easily imply blocked by fire. As great as cell phones and radios are, they also really suck at times.