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Sinking of MV Conception: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 34°02′51″N 119°44′06″W / 34.04750°N 119.73500°W / 34.04750; -119.73500
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Agents with the [[Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives]] immediately responded, but investigatory agents did not arrive until September 7, to investigate the point of ignition and cause of the blaze.<ref name="22identified"/>
Agents with the [[Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives]] immediately responded, but investigatory agents did not arrive until September 7, to investigate the point of ignition and cause of the blaze.<ref name="22identified"/>


[[Crane vessel|Derrick barge]] ''Salta Verde'' arrived at Santa Cruz Island to assist with the [[Marine salvage|salvage operation]] on September 4.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://dod.defense.gov/News/Special-Reports/Videos/?videoid=707250 |title=MV Conception salvage barge arrives |date=September 4, 2019 |author=Kelley, Patrick |publisher=United States Coast Guard |accessdate=6 September 2019}}</ref> Divers examined the wreckage to prepare to raise it; as of September 5, a high wind forecast was hampering recovery plans.<ref name=Reuters-190905/> ''Conception's'' had settled on the bottom upside-down; the first attempt to roll the boat upright and raise it was planned for September 6, but recovery efforts would be delayed if windy conditions continued.<ref name="SJM-190906">{{cite news |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/09/06/dive-boat-fire-crews-hope-to-recover-conception-today/ |title=Dive boat fire: Crews hope to recover Conception today |author=Savidge, Nico |date=September 6, 2019 |newspaper=San Jose Mercury News |accessdate=6 September 2019}}</ref> The [[FBI]] assisted this portion of the investigation due to their experience in evidence preservation.<ref name="22identified/> [[Side-scan sonar]] was used to image the boat ''in situ'' and video was taken of the undisturbed wreckage prior to lifting.<ref name="nosprinkle"/> As of September 7, adverse weather conditions were presenting the raising of the wreck, with divers being required in the water throughout the process to monitor the lift and look for the remaining body.<ref name="22identified"/>
[[Crane vessel|Derrick barge]] ''Salta Verde'' arrived at Santa Cruz Island to assist with the [[Marine salvage|salvage operation]] on September 4.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://dod.defense.gov/News/Special-Reports/Videos/?videoid=707250 |title=MV Conception salvage barge arrives |date=September 4, 2019 |author=Kelley, Patrick |publisher=United States Coast Guard |accessdate=6 September 2019}}</ref> Divers examined the wreckage to prepare to raise it; as of September 5, a high wind forecast was hampering recovery plans.<ref name=Reuters-190905/> ''Conception'' had settled on the bottom upside-down; the first attempt to roll the boat upright and raise it was planned for September 6, but recovery efforts would be delayed if windy conditions continued.<ref name="SJM-190906">{{cite news |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/09/06/dive-boat-fire-crews-hope-to-recover-conception-today/ |title=Dive boat fire: Crews hope to recover Conception today |author=Savidge, Nico |date=September 6, 2019 |newspaper=San Jose Mercury News |accessdate=6 September 2019}}</ref> The [[FBI]] assisted this portion of the investigation due to their experience in evidence preservation.<ref name="22identified/> [[Side-scan sonar]] was used to image the boat ''in situ'' and video was taken of the undisturbed wreckage prior to lifting.<ref name="nosprinkle"/> As of September 7, adverse weather conditions were preventing the raising of the wreck, with divers being required in the water throughout the process to monitor the lift and look for the remaining body.<ref name="22identified"/>


=== Cause ===
=== Cause ===

Revision as of 02:14, 9 September 2019

Sinking of MV Conception
File:MV Conception burning.jpg
DateSeptember 2, 2019
TimeApproximately 3:00 a.m. PDT UTC−07:00
LocationPlatts Harbor, Santa Cruz Island, California, United States
Coordinates34°02′51″N 119°44′06″W / 34.04750°N 119.73500°W / 34.04750; -119.73500
CauseFire
Deaths34
Non-fatal injuries5

The sinking of MV Conception occurred on September 2, 2019, when the 75-foot (23 m) dive boat caught fire and eventually sank off the coast of Santa Cruz Island, California, United States. The boat was anchored to overnight at Platts Harbor, a small undeveloped bay on the north shore of the island, with 33 passengers and 1 crew member asleep below decks when fire broke out shortly after 3 a.m. Five of the crew members, whose sleeping quarters were on the top deck, were forced by the fire to jump overboard but not before placing an initial mayday call to the Coast Guard and attempting to alert the passengers. The crew retrieved the Conception's skiff and motored to a nearby boat where a second radio dispatch was made. The loss of the ship spurred a rescue operation by the United States Coast Guard.[1][2]

It is the worst maritime disaster in California in more than 150 years, and the deadliest in the United States overall since the USS Iowa turret explosion in 1989.[3]

Boat

The Conception anchored at Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, in May 2000

MV Conception was a 75-foot (23 m) liveaboard boat built in Long Beach, California, and launched in 1981.[4][5] It was one of three dive boats owned by Truth Aquatics, which operates charter excursions from Santa Barbara Harbor for groups of divers interested in exploring the Channel Islands, located close to the coast of Southern California by Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.[6] Conception was under charter to Worldwide Diving Adventures (WDA) for a three-day scuba-diving voyage over the Labor Day holiday weekend, which was one of WDA's most popular diving tour packages.[7][8][9] Unlike larger boats, Conception was not required to have sprinklers and consequently there were none on board.[10] The vessel's age precluded it from being required to feature smoke detectors wired into the ship's electrics or linked to the bridge.[11] Federal and international regulations require fire resistant materials for the construction of larger boats, but Conception measured under 100GT and had less than 49 berths, and so was of fibreglass construction permitted under regulations not updated since 1978.[12]

Conception bunk room, starboard side facing aft, from a May 2003 dive trip

Conception was believed to be in compliance with all regulations, and the most recent Coast Guard inspections in February 2019 and August 2018 did not result in any noteworthy violations.[13] The boat had been refurbished at a cost of more than $1 million following an incident in 2005 when it had been stolen and run aground. On the lower deck, up to 46 individuals could sleep in 13 double bunks (12 of which were stacked in twos) and 20 single bunks (18 stacked in threes), with one labeled as reserved for crew.[4][14] The rest of the crew berths were located two decks above, just aft of the wheelhouse and above the main deck galley. [citation needed]

According to the deck plans, the main access to the guest accommodations was a stairway connected to the galley and main deck cabin.[4] The designer of the vessel stated that there were two exits from the bunk room: a staircase at the bow end of the vessel that led up to the galley area, and an escape hatch toward the stern located above one of the bunks. After exiting the escape hatch, the individual would be 3 to 4 feet (0.91 to 1.22 m) from the main deck.[15] Former dive passengers could only recall the main stairway exit and could not recall if they had been briefed on the presence of the emergency escape hatch at the stern.[16] Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown stated both exits appeared to have been blocked by fire.[17]

Fire

Sinking of MV Conception is located in USA California Channel Islands
Sinking of MV Conception
class=notpageimage|
Map of the Channel Islands, California with sinking site marked in red.

On the night of the fire, a crew member awoke to the sound of a pop in the dark and believed it to be a disoriented crew member or passenger. Upon leaving his bed to attempt to aid the individual, he discovered an uncontrollable fire in the ship's galley.[14] Two mayday calls were placed at approximately 3:15 am from the wheelhouse of the Conception.[17][18] Five of the six crew members leapt into the ocean from the wheelhouse deck over the bow to escape the fire, retrieved an inflatable dinghy from the stern, and paddled approximately 200 yards (180 m) to the only boat moored nearby, The Grape Escape.[8][18] The ship's captain, who was among the five survivors, said the escape hatch at the stern was engulfed in fire and the surviving crew could do nothing to help the passengers.[19][20] Attempts to gain access through a window were similarly thwarted by fire; one crew member broke a leg jumping from the bridge to the main deck, but flames prevented crew getting any closer to rescuing the trapped passengers.[21]

The surviving crew put out another mayday alert from The Grape Escape and two of the crew returned to the Conception in the small inflatable dinghy to search for survivors.[14][22] While waiting for aid, small explosions were heard from the Conception, believed by the crew to be caused by the pressurized dive cylinders rupturing from the heat of the fire.[8] One of the distress calls sent from the Conception initially suggested that at least one individual below deck was awake, as a man's voice was recorded screaming "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! I can't breathe!"[23] However, Glen Fritzler, the owner of Truth Aquatics, clarified the first mayday calls had been made by the captain of the Conception from the wheelhouse before he evacuated from the boat.[17][24]

Coast Guard crews, the Ventura County and Santa Barbara County Fire Departments, and Vessel Assist responded by 3:30 am to a mayday call of a boat engulfed in flames.[25] Officials struggled to fight the fire, as the boat was in a remote location with limited firefighting capabilities and the fire was moving quickly and kept flaring up. In order to attempt to fight the fire and allow fireboats to reach the vessel, it was towed out to deeper water by a TowBoatUS ship.[26]

The boat sank about four hours after the fire broke out,[8] coming to rest at a depth of 64 feet (20 m) approximately 20 yards (18 m) from the north shore of the Santa Cruz Island.[7]

Victims

Of the 33 passengers and six crew members that were on board the vessel, all 33 passengers and one crew member were killed the night of the fire, with five crew members escaping with injuries. As of September 2, Coast Guard divers located 25 bodies, while nine other people remained missing. Four bodies were initially recovered from the water, and another sixteen were pulled from the sunken hull later. Another five bodies were visible in the vessel but unreachable because of concerns about unsafe conditions on the boat.[26] The Coast Guard suspended search efforts on the morning of September 3, as it required the wreckage to be stabilized before searching it for further bodies. The unaccounted victims have been presumed dead.[27][20] By September 4, all but one of the bodies had been recovered, with around thirty local divers and members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) assisting in the search for the last body.[28]

Most of the victims were from California, while a couple from Arizona were among the victims.[29] Two of the victims have been confirmed to be Singaporean.[30] Two of the victims are believed to be students.[31] It is believed that the youngest victims are age 17 and the oldest were in their 60s, with a majority of the victims from Santa Cruz and the Bay Area.[32]

DNA was collected from family members to identify the bodies.[33] Identification was delayed by the loss of the on-board passenger manifest and difficulties by law enforcement in initially locating a second copy.[11] The apparent cause of death was smoke inhalation.[34][35] Twenty-three of the bodies had been identified, with the assistance of a private company that had developed a faster form of DNA testing previously used to identify Camp Fire victims.[11]

Investigation

Conception bunk room and escape hatch (above bunk #10), photographed in 1995.
Conception main deck and escape hatch exit in galley.

Truth Aquatics is considered a respectable business in the area, with their boats in good condition, according to state Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, who represents the Santa Barbara area.[29] Local entrepreneur Ken Kurtis, owner of a dive charter company, told The Maritime Executive it was the only major fire he was aware of on a Californian dive boat and the issue was not widely contemplated by the local industry.[12] U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein called for an investigation into the incident and specifically wants to address the training of the crew and why they were not able to rescue or alert the passengers. She also wants to see if additional regulations are needed to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Via press release, Feinstein stated "It's inconceivable that with all the safety regulations we have in place today, a fire on a boat can lead to the loss of life we saw this morning near Santa Cruz Island".[36][37]

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched a go-team on September 3 to the accident, including a board member, to investigate. The on-scene portion of the investigation is scheduled to last for ten days, with the objective to determine the cause of the fire and verify the safety measures that had been aboard Conception.[29] The Coast Guard launched its own safety investigation focused principally on regulation adherence and on determining if enforcement action was required.[38] The NTSB and other authorities toured the Conception's sister ship Vision, also owned by Truth Aquatics, to evaluate how it might be evacuated in the event of a fire.[28] During the tour of Vision, the lead NTSB investigator was "taken aback" by the difficulty of using the escape hatch in the stern. "You have to climb up a ladder and across the top bunk and then push a wooden door up. It was a tight space."[39] Speaking on September 3, the accompanying Board member described herself as "100 percent confident that we will learn the why and the how" behind the accident.[38]

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives immediately responded, but investigatory agents did not arrive until September 7, to investigate the point of ignition and cause of the blaze.[11]

Derrick barge Salta Verde arrived at Santa Cruz Island to assist with the salvage operation on September 4.[40] Divers examined the wreckage to prepare to raise it; as of September 5, a high wind forecast was hampering recovery plans.[21] Conception had settled on the bottom upside-down; the first attempt to roll the boat upright and raise it was planned for September 6, but recovery efforts would be delayed if windy conditions continued.[34] The FBI assisted this portion of the investigation due to their experience in evidence preservation.[11] Side-scan sonar was used to image the boat in situ and video was taken of the undisturbed wreckage prior to lifting.[10] As of September 7, adverse weather conditions were preventing the raising of the wreck, with divers being required in the water throughout the process to monitor the lift and look for the remaining body.[11]

Cause

The NTSB expects to conclude its investigation and declare a cause after twelve to eighteen months of investigations.[41] One of the surviving crew members theorized the fire may have started in the galley of the ship, where cellphones and cameras had been plugged in to charge overnight. The designer of the vessel speculated the fire began in the bunk area, possibly sparked by a lithium battery.[15] The NTSB stated during the wreck recovery operations it expected to take remnants of any devices charging in the boat with them to their Washington HQ for further examination.[11] While there was a smoke detector on the Conception, the surviving crew did not believe it went off before they discovered the fire. The detector was of the standard type for home use, which, at the time both Conception and Vision were built, met existing safety requirements.[42]

The boat was not at capacity, but according to NTSB member Jennifer Homendy, one of the crew members should have remained awake as a night watch as a condition of the vessel's certification.[42]

Aftermath

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statement through Twitter praising the efforts of the emergency medical workers and offering his condolences to the families and loved ones affected.[23]

A makeshift memorial was created outside the headquarters of Truth Aquatics in Santa Barbara Harbor.[26][28] A vigil was scheduled for September 6 with first responders taking part in the open-to-all event, which was organised by local religious groups, divers, and other organisations.[43]

Truth Aquatics suspended operations on their remaining two boats following the disaster.[21] The company also filed a lawsuit in United States District Court for the Central District of California, claiming limited liability under Limitation of Liability Act of 1851. The suit, if shown that Truth Aquatics was not liable for the accident, would limit Truth Aquatic's damages only to the value of the ship, thus preventing any damages to be issued against them by the families of the victims should they file suit. It would also reduce the length of time that these families would have to counter Truth Aquatic's claims. This practice is common in maritime accidents.[44] The claims would be tied up in this limitation of liability proceeding.[45]

See also

References

  1. ^ Dowd, Katie (September 2, 2019). "What we know about the Santa Cruz Island boat fire disaster". SFGate. Hearst Communications. Retrieved September 2, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ Bravo, Kristina; Kuzj, Steve; Friel, Courtney; Wenzke, Marissa; Knight, Nerissa; Associated Press; Wolfe, Chris (September 2, 2019). "25 Bodies Found Near Santa Cruz Island Where Dive Boat Burned; 9 People Still Missing". KTLA. Retrieved September 2, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ Gumbel, Andrew (September 4, 2019). "California boat fire: stairs from sleeping quarters led to space filled with flames". The Guardian. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "Conception". Truth Aquatics. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  5. ^ "California boat fire: At least 15 bodies found, others remain missing". Los Angeles Times. September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  6. ^ "About". Truth Aquatics. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  7. ^ a b "California boat fire: More bodies found off Santa Cruz Island". BBC News. September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d Nelson, Laura J.; Smith, Dakota; Sahagun, Louis; Cosgrove, Jaclyn (September 3, 2019). "Biologist missing in boat fire had 'a love for marine life'". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  9. ^ Graff, Amy (September 3, 2019). "Owner of Santa Cruz adventure company missing after deadly boat fire". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  10. ^ a b https://www.independent.com/2019/09/04/conception-crew-interviewed-during-ntsb-probe/
  11. ^ a b c d e f g https://www.independent.com/2019/09/06/nine-conception-victims-identified/
  12. ^ a b https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/ntsb-cell-charging-a-possible-ignition-source-in-dive-boat-fire
  13. ^ Bacon, John; Bote, Joshua; Oliver, David; Lam, Kristin (September 2, 2019). "At least 8 dead, dozens missing after California dive boat fire; Coast Guard warns to prepare for 'the worst outcome'". USA Today. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  14. ^ a b c Wilson, Scott; Rosenberg, Eli (September 2, 2019). "Eight dead, 26 unaccounted for after diving boat catches fire near California coast, officials say". The Washington Post. msn.com. Retrieved September 3, 2019. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  15. ^ a b Fry, Hannah; Christensen, Kim; Rust, Susanne; Shalby, Colleen (September 5, 2019). "Surviving crew member thought phone charging station might have sparked boat fire". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 5, 2019.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ Deerwester, Jayme (September 2, 2019). "California dive-boat fire highlights need for more than one exit from sleeping quarters". USA Today. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  17. ^ a b c Karimi, Faith (September 4, 2019). "Flames blocked escape routes on boat and trapped sleeping divers, official says. 33 bodies have been found". CNN. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  18. ^ a b Melley, Brian (September 4, 2019). "Burning dive boat takes fatal fire clues to a watery grave". AP News. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  19. ^ "'You can only imagine the horror': Couple who rescued California boat fire survivors speaks out". CBS News. September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  20. ^ a b "Coast Guard suspends search efforts for victims of California boat fire". CBS News. September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  21. ^ a b c Whitcomb, Dan (September 5, 2019). "Crew told of 'harrowing' California boat fire that killed 34 - NTSB". Reuters. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  22. ^ Karlamangla, Sumya; Ormseth, Matthew; Smith, Dakota; Fry, Hannah (September 3, 2019). "How did crew members survive California boat fire? Their location allowed for escape, sheriff says". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  23. ^ a b Del Real, Jose A.; Chokshi, Niraj; Fuller, Thomas (September 2, 2019). "California Boat Fire Kills at Least 20; Haunting Pleas as Flames Erupt". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  24. ^ Brunnel, Natalie (September 3, 2019). "Boat Owner on Deadly Fire Near Santa Cruz Island". Spectrum News 1. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  25. ^ Rodriguez, Adrianna; Lam, Kristin. "All 33 passengers presumed dead after horrific California boat fire, Coast Guard says". USA Today. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  26. ^ a b c Dazio, Stefanie (September 2, 2019). "Coast Guard: 25 bodies found after California boat fire". AP News. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  27. ^ "Search called off for 34 presumed dead in fire on diving boat off Southern California". NBC News. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  28. ^ a b c Puente, Mark; Ormseth, Matthew; Fry, Hannah (September 4, 2019). "33 bodies recovered in California boat fire search as investigation intensifies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 4, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ^ a b c "The Latest: NTSB arrives to investigate deadly boat fire". San Francisco Chronicle. Associated Press. September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  30. ^ "Singaporean diver Tan Wei confirmed to be among the 34 California boat blaze victims". CNA. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  31. ^ Sheehy, Kate (September 3, 2019). "2 students from elite high school were on doomed dive boat: report". New York Post. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  32. ^ Hutchinson, Bill (September 3, 2019). "Remains of 20 victims recovered in California boat fire, police say". ABC News. Retrieved September 3, 2019. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  33. ^ "NTSB Begins Probe Into Deadly Scuba Boat Fire". NBC Southern California.
  34. ^ a b Savidge, Nico (September 6, 2019). "Dive boat fire: Crews hope to recover Conception today". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  35. ^ Dazio, Stefanie (September 6, 2019). "Sheriff: Dive boat victims killed by smoke, not flames". AP News. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  36. ^ "25 Dead, 9 Missing After Boat Catches Fire Off Santa Cruz Island". www.msn.com.
  37. ^ Feinstein, Dianne (September 2, 2019). "Feinstein Calls for Interagency Investigation into Tragic Boat Fire" (Press release). Dianne Feinstein, United States Senator for California. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  38. ^ a b https://www.independent.com/2019/09/03/conception-fire-under-ntsb-investigation/
  39. ^ Puente, Mark (September 5, 2019). "NTSB investigator in boat fire 'taken aback' by small escape route for passengers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  40. ^ Kelley, Patrick (September 4, 2019). "MV Conception salvage barge arrives". United States Coast Guard. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  41. ^ Mansell, William (September 5, 2019). "NTSB expects full report on California boat fire in 12 to 18 months". ABC News. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  42. ^ a b Puente, Mark (September 5, 2019). "Surviving crew members said boat fire was too intense to save any passengers". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 5, 2019. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  43. ^ https://www.independent.com/2019/09/05/vigil-for-conception-victims-to-take-place-friday/
  44. ^ "Fatal scuba diving boat fire in California raises questions". www.vbattorneys.com.com.
  45. ^ "California diving boat owners seek to head off lawsuits after 34 die in fire". Associated Press. September 6, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019 – via NBC News.

Investigation

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