Boat fire Santa Cruz Island

Leaverite

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Dec 19, 2017
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I'm not blaming anyone at all, just saying that the layout was pretty standard for a dive boat. The fire could have been started by a guest charging a ton of lithium batteries for camera gear for all we know. Regardless of the cause, tragic and sad for everyone who perished and their families.
I am surprised people are willing to pay to be packed like sardines, no more over rated experience than sleeping at sea, depending on conditions and vessel of course.
35 people for a boat this size. To
 

Autoprax

Duke status
Jan 24, 2011
68,226
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Vagina Point
The impulse will be to apply a reverse narrative.

However, the behavior that helped cause the accident will have happened 1000s of times will no catastrophe.

Humans takes short cuts all the time. You have to.

It's randomness that is the killer.

There needs to be a blood sacrifice now though.

Losing family members this way is tough tough tough.
 

SteveT

Phil Edwards status
Apr 11, 2005
5,864
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Just got back from Alaska.
We got a text last Monday, the AM it happened, I was shocked and in disbelief.
My best friend ran that boat for years, I've been on it dozens of times on dive trips and other occasions.
I know it's late on the thread, but, from the $hit I've heard about people being locked in below is pure BS.
There's no door from the bunks to the galley to lock, it's an open stair well.
No one will probably ever know what exactly what happened.
My friend is very shook up about this and is not talking as well as the owner of Sea Landing.
Very sad day for the people that lost their lives and their families and loved ones.
 

studog

Duke status
Jan 15, 2003
35,863
637
113
CA
Fire possibly started by phone charging? Something being looked into per local NPR just now
 

hammies

Duke status
Apr 8, 2006
15,587
14,214
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They found the last body today. Hopefully they will now pull the hulk onto a barge and begin NTSB inspections. Until they find the cause (and chances are they will), it's all speculation.
 

jkb

Tom Curren status
Feb 22, 2005
10,041
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Central California
My guess is on multiple devices plugged into multiple power strips that overloaded the electrical system. Something sparked and caught the interior carpet (or other flammable item) on fire and it spread insanely fast. I think something along those lines makes the most sense.
 

mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
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The wreck is still floating so I bet they will find the cause and I agree with JKB as the most likely cause.
 
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Boneroni

Tom Curren status
Mar 5, 2012
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Goleta
Mundus, from everything I've read the wreck sank. They had to stabilize to on the ocean floor to recover the last victim yesterday.

I was thinking thins morning about how fast the fire mustve had to ignite in order for not a single person to escape. Just boggles my mind.

Just so devastating :cry:
 
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studog

Duke status
Jan 15, 2003
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000

Duke status
Feb 20, 2003
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pretty shitty:




"All six crewmembers were asleep aboard a scuba diving boat off the Southern California coast when a fire broke out in the middle of the night, killing 34 people who were trapped in a bunkroom below the main deck, federal investigators announced Thursday.

Boats like the Conception, which caught fire around 3 a.m. on Sept. 2 and sank, are required to have a crewmember keep watch at night."
 

jkb

Tom Curren status
Feb 22, 2005
10,041
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Power strips are nothing to skimp on. Tons of cheapies out on the market.

We had one malfunction and catch a building on fire at my former workplace. Really made me re-evaluate my set-up at home.

The boat really fvcked up by not having someone on watch......or maybe someone was scheduled and they fell asleep?? Happens all the time, but that's where they are liable.
 

MitchellC

Legend (inyourownmind)
Nov 28, 2016
367
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My wife and I were sitting in a cab on the (long) drive back to OC from LAX listening to the initial NTSB presser. While the spokesperson mentioned the normal investigative timeline, she did mention that they and/or the USCG could issue an immediate bulletin if warranted.

At the time I speculated findings would be related to Li batteries. Li has been long known to be a volatile, which is why the re-charging control circuits can be compromised if sourced from non-reliable labs (China).

My sister is currently living in south China, and she said that while airport security can be lax about liquids, the Chinese are super focused on smart devices and re-charger units. From what she mentioned, all of that gear attracts a lot of scrutiny.

As an aside, my wife told me someone on a travel forum who is currently on a cruise ship said that new instructions during the safety review included not leaving any charging devices untended. So, it looks like this bulletin is going to have an immediate and broad roll forward effect on all sea borne vessels.
 

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
59,997
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Aren't a lot of MacBooks no longer allowed on airplanes because their batteries can catch fire? It wouldn't be unlikely someone brought a laptop along to manage photos and videos after dives is it?
 

_____

Phil Edwards status
Sep 17, 2012
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Aren't a lot of MacBooks no longer allowed on airplanes because their batteries can catch fire? It wouldn't be unlikely someone brought a laptop along to manage photos and videos after dives is it?
My Macbook port caught fire (ironically on boat) and the support guy lost his sh1t when I called.
I've been on dive boats dozens of times an have never seen a person roaming around at all hours like a security guard but there's always someone monitoring for dragging anchor, other boats dragging anchor etc. I also bring a gnarly soche lithium charger and a laptop to watch gopro vids and movies at night. The charging station is always a shelf that looks like spaghetti with all the wires and stuff.
Yeah. the Truth Aq. attorney said testimony contradicts that statement about everyone being asleep, but it's not official so let's wait for the official report to be fair. I'd emphasize that this crew and operation is 1st place when it comes to how they operate. If anyone replaces them they would have some very difficult shoes to fill, and these days building a new dive boat of that size and starting a dive charter business could be financial suicide.
 

jkb

Tom Curren status
Feb 22, 2005
10,041
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Yeah, sounds like there's some question on whether someone was on watch or not.

One report said a crew member walked through the galley 45 minutes before the fire (or something close to that).
 

Duffy LaCoronilla

Duke status
Apr 27, 2016
38,637
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pretty shitty:




"All six crewmembers were asleep aboard a scuba diving boat off the Southern California coast when a fire broke out in the middle of the night, killing 34 people who were trapped in a bunkroom below the main deck, federal investigators announced Thursday.

Boats like the Conception, which caught fire around 3 a.m. on Sept. 2 and sank, are required to have a crewmember keep watch at night."
The crew is disputing this.
 

SteveT

Phil Edwards status
Apr 11, 2005
5,864
2,408
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Pretty nasty now, of everyone trying to figure out what happened.
I deck- handed years ago on the Sea Hawk and crewed on the Island Hooker and the Truth.
I can't believe no one was on watch. This is STANDARD PROTCOL for ANY commercial vessel, especially a boat with paying clients.
After a fisherman went overboard on one of the boats out of Avila/Morrow years ago and was never found, pretty much all boats don't allow anyone on the stern after dark (roped off) AND... someone has to be ON WATCH at ALL TIMES (Including me when I was doing deck handing)
This is going to have a far-reaching impact on charter boat operations across the U.S. and Globe.
I feel really bad for the crew and captain, as well as all of the victims in this very tragic incident.
My buddy that ran the Conception is still not talking, I'm not going to push it.