The MV conception caught fire off the shores of Santa Cruz Island, causing the dive boat to sink on September 2, 2019. Significantly, this incident where 33 passengers and one crew member were trapped below the decks remains one of the deadliest attacks to occur in California. The boat was 75-foot in size and had been launched in 1981 and was mostly used for diving tours, and had operated for approximately 39 years to the day of the fire out of Santa Barbara (Helsel, 2019). This accident was the second disaster of such magnitude to happen off California's shores since the 1865 brother Jonathan accident.
Essentially, the fire occurred on the Labor Day holiday at 3 am. The fire began at the main deck and spread to the aft and the upper deck, which was an impeding factor to the crew's efforts to put out the fire (Helsel, 2019). Mayday calls were transmitted by the Captain from the wheelhouse and at the grape escape by the surviving crew members after using a skiff to abandon the boat.
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Factors That Caused High Fatality Count
It is important to note that 34 people died in the boat either from suffocation or drowning as the boat sank. However, there were efforts to rescue the passengers and crew members trapped below the deck. Practically, the first Galleyhand could not reach the main deck as the ladder had already caught fire. The fire extinguisher could not be retrieved due to smoke and flames coming out through the salon windows (Helsel, 2019). Additionally, the escape hatch could not be used to rescue the passengers as it was in flames. The first deckhand attempt to access the engine was futile as the lower deck was filled with smoke, making it impossible to start the fire pump to put out the fire. While jumping from the port side of the wheelhouse, the first deckhand broke his leg. In essence, these factors and events that occurred during the efforts to mitigate the fire caused the crew members' inability to rescue the trapped passengers and crew members. It is important to note that all the efforts to avoid fatalities failed.
Investigations Into The Fire
Essentially, investigations condemning the boat fire were carried out by the federal officers with the help of the bureau of alcohol, firearms, tobacco, and explosives bureau. In essence, the initial assumptions were that the boat had caught fire due to an explosion either caused by alcohol or explosives (Helsel, 2019). After intense investigations, it was discovered that the fire was caused by an explosion caused by a charging lithium-ion battery.
Significantly, the boat, having been built more than 30 years before the fire, was definitely not built to modern standards. This fact indicates that at the time of its launch, personal electronics technology had not arrived. Therefore, the boat's electronics charging system was not stable enough to handle high usage. It was discovered that the boat had a series of power outlets that were covered behind foam-filled, L-shaped benches, which were made of wood covered with fiberglass like the rest of the boat. Plugging into these series of outlets by passengers sparked the fire (Helsel, 2019). According to the second Galleyhand, he was awoken by a pop in the main deck. According to the investigating officers, this pop may have occurred from the blowing up of cell phones charging in the charging area. Considering the boat's material, it is clear that the material caused the spread of the fire.
Indictment
The national transportation safety board blamed the staff for following established regulations such as posting a roving night watch. Additionally, it was concluded that the crew was not adequately trained to handle emergencies and that there was delayed passenger safety briefing (Aditya et al., 2020). Captain Jerry Boylan was charged with 34 counts of manslaughter. The court was informed that the fire and deaths of those on board the vessel resulted from the Captain's negligence and misconduct. For instance, the passengers' delayed briefing was a clear indication of Boylan's inattention to his duties. The Captain was held responsible for the evident inattention to safety rules.
However, it is essential to note that the boat had passed the compliance test in inspections carried out in 2018 and 2019. Despite having not been made of fireproof material as required, it was considered compliant considering the regulations in place by the time of its construction (Duda & Wawruch, 2017). The requirements to have sprinklers and smoke detectors at the time of inspection were not considered necessary. It was less than 100GT and had fewer than 49 berths indicating it was not big enough to fall under these regulations.
In conclusion, the conception dive boat fire is considered the second largest offshore disaster in California since the 1865 sinking of Brother Jonathan. The fire was essentially caused by the explosion of lithium-ion batteries of charging phones on the overloaded series of outlets. Efforts to rescue 34 individuals trapped in the lower deck failed due to the presence of smoke and fast-spreading fire that engulfed the ladder.
References
Aditya, N. D., Sandhya, K. G., Harikumar, R., & Balakrishnan Nair, T. M. (2020). Development of small vessel advisory and forecast services system for safe navigation and operations at sea. Journal of Operational Oceanography , 1-16.
Duda, D., & Wawruch, R. (2017). The impact of major maritime accidents on the development of international regulations concerning safety of navigation and protection of the environment. Scientific Journal of Polish Naval Academy , 211 (4), 23-44.
Helsel, Phil.(2019).Captain of Conception dive boat indicted on 34 manslaughter counts in deadly fire. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/captain-conception-dive-boat-indicted-34-manslaughter-counts-deadly-fire-n1249617
