Fire on dive boat Conception in CA

[Eric Sedletzky]

I think the group that was on the boat. Not a 100% positive is Adventure Sports Unlimited. 5 day trip from Santa Cruz. As a dive community we can assist the families with some needs down the road. Possibly?

Labor Day Weekend; Northern Channel Islands - Worldwide Diving Adventures

 

[NorCalDM]

No emergency exit. Only way topside is narrow steep stairway that exits next to galley

Tragic

There is an emergency exit in the rear of the bunkhouse. I’ve been on this boat multiple times this is so sad the usual captain on the Conception is one of the best.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

On the dive boats that I've been on in So Cal that have below deck bunks/living areas, there is an emergency hatch that I *thought* was a mandatory feature on these types of boats. These hatches are always discussed during the mandatory safety briefing. Are you saying that this boat did not have one of these?

We have stayed overnight on several boats, and do not ever remember being told of a emergency exit below decks... when we board it is at night and it is quiet. No briefing given at that time at all. Just sign in to get a bunk.

 

[divergirl_0414]

Press release for those interested. Forgive me if this has already been posted.

Coast Guard, local agencies responding to boat fire near Santa Cruz Island

 

[chillyinCanada]

20 yards off shore . . .

Grim, very very grim

 

[azstinger11]

What an absolute tragedy. With the boat now sunk the investigation I’m sure will be far harder. Here is to hopping some passengers were able to make it out.

We were due to take the Conception on our first ever trip with Truth in November (hey it’s a long drive from San Diego). We’ve heard nothing but great things about the boats/crew/company from local divers.

 

[--tom--]

There was an emergency hatch above one of the center line bunks. It came up in the main cabin near the engine room bulkhead. The staircase came up in the main cabin near the bow; far forward below deck was the showers (to give an idea as to how far back the set back was.)

 

[shoredivr]

We have stayed overnight on several boats, and do not ever remember being told of a emergency exit below decks... when we board it is at night and it is quiet. No briefing given at that time at all. Just sign in to get a bunk.

The only liveaboard I’ve ever been on had a mandatory safety briefing at the time you arrived. Whatever time that was. Granted this was in Australia.
Any non-liveaboard dive boat I’ve taken does a safety Briefing when you first come aboard, too.
*edit* I’ve never been on Truth Aquatics boats, and have no idea of their safety protocols.

 

[outofofficebrb]

The only liveaboard I’ve ever been on had a mandatory safety briefing at the time you arrived. Whatever time that was. Granted this was in Australia.
Any non-liveaboard dive boat I’ve taken does a safety Briefing when you first come aboard, too.

I’ve been diving with Truth before and have also dived on many, many other liveaboards. This is not your “typical” liveaboard. Guests arrive in the evening at various times over a 6 hour or more window and check in to a dorm style bunk room. People enter quietly as others are often sleeping and set up behind their curtains as the boat leaves middle of the night for the Channel Islands. You basically just have to arrive before they depart in the wee hours.
I do not remember a coordinated safety briefing when I went back in 2016 on check in evening. There was probably one afterwards, in the morning or something. I can’t remember though. Granted, this tragedy happened after a few days in and not the first night.

 

[Buoy_A]

We have stayed overnight on several boats, and do not ever remember being told of a emergency exit below decks... when we board it is at night and it is quiet. No briefing given at that time at all. Just sign in to get a bunk.

Actually now that you mention it, I have been on two Truth Aquatic dive boats in my life. One was the Vision when they were running out of Moro Bay to dive Big Sur. Another was the Truth out of Long Beach to dive Santa Barbara Island (one of the Channel Islands). I know for sure the Long Beach instance, I showed up and the crew was no where to be found. It was weird. You were expected to just load your stuff on the boat, find a bunk, then go to sleep. Then at some point in the night the engines would turn on and we'd start motoring to Santa Barbara Island. In the Long Beach trip, yes, we would not be made aware of an emergency hatch by the crew. Passengers would go to sleep with less than adequate information about boat safety. However, for this particular incident with the Conception, the boat had already been in the middle of the trip and you'd expect a safety briefing to have been performed by the crew. How well people listen to these briefings is a separate consideration.