Fire on dive boat Conception in CA

[Seaweed Doc]

Wow, what a tragedy. My thoughts are with all involved, the deceased and their kin, the operators and staff, and the rescuers.

I expect this will be thoroughly reported in Alert Diver and other reputable sources. Maybe we'll all learn something concrete (not speculative) before this slipsoff the news radar and improve safety.

 

[azstinger11]

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.

So many dive boats in Southern California allow you to stay overnight prior to the trip starting. When you do so, there isn’t any brief or anything. Just a clip board to sign up on and some printed out information about parking and some other basics. There is a full brief once the trip starts however.

 

[lessthanjoey]

What a shocking tragedy. My thoughts are with all involved and I hope the vast majority made it out and to land.

 

[Marie13]

What a shocking tragedy. My thoughts are with all involved and I hope the vast majority made it out and to land.

That appears to be wishful thinking. 5 were picked up by a pleasure boat that responded to the call for help. Boat burned to the waterline and has sunk in 64ft of water with only part of the bow showing.

 

[elgoog]

This is what the passenger area looks like - the double bunks on the left are 2 high and the single bunks 3 high. This is the left half and there's an equal number of bunks in the same layout on the right side. There's barely enough room in the space in between; slightly wider than the aisle in economy class on a large plane. The main exit from this area is the single narrow stair leading up to the galley. I don't remember another exit but my last trip was in 2016 so I could be forgetting.

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I've been on the Conception when there was a light load of 18 people and even that felt like a lot going on and we kept running into each other when we were down there. I can't imagine what it's like with a full load like on this trip even in normal operations, much less in an emergency.

 

[gijoe703]

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?

I was on the Conception in November 2016. The hatch from the guest area leads you right up to main galley area.

 

[broncobowsher]

The Conception was my first ever California dive boat after I moved away from the Midwest. Good memories on that boat. Was my first ocean dive as well. That was over the 4th of July 1998.

As I recall, 4 compartments. Anchor, crew, guests, engine. I had a berth next to the APU that ran all night. I don't remember the ins and outs of the cabin. But I can see how the crew could get out but the guests didn't as they are separated. So I refuse to accept any claims that the crew put themselves in front of the guests. It would have been whoever laid out the boat originally.

Since this is Scubaboard and everyone loves to throw out theories as truth before the fire is out, can't discount a lithium battery charger (or vap pen) went up in flames either.

 

[Ravenware]

We have done that weekend trip, on the Conception. Our double bunk was under the stairs. If the boat was engulfed, I fear no one below made it out. Only one set of narrow stairs that lead to the galley, I can only hope they never woke up, and died from smoke inhalation. The rescue divers who will have to recover will need our prayers. The crew sleep up top, and I will be interested to hear their perspective of events, it sounds like all of the crew jumped off the boat and were rescued out of the water. The boat was only 20 yards from shore, anyone who made it off the boat should have been able to swim that unless injured.
Heartbreaking, and the company Truth Aquatics has been a big part of the dive community with no previous issues.

 

[W W Meixner]

The unfolding of this tragedy is all over our Ontario Morning News...

Horrific...

Thoughts and prayers to all involved...God Bless and keep you all...

Warren...

 

[KevinNM]

That big a boat has to be an inspected vessel. I'm kind of in shock how this could happen.