Dive Boat Fire

Discovery · Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 11:00 am Post subject: Dive Boat Fire

https://ktla.com/2019/09/02/crews-rescuing-at-least-30-people-on-boat-near-santa-cruz-island-coast-guard/

We used to dive from the Conception each fall in the 1990's. As I remember, there was only one below decks access/egress to the main deck.

Sad.

https://www.truthaquatics.com/conception/

The bunk layout on the lower deck.

Fishcatcher907 · Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 12:10 pm Post subject:

This sounds tragic. Prayers to all involved.

thechadmiller · Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 12:49 pm Post subject:

Ugh. I dove off this boat 3 years ago. Super nice crew. All the local Portland dive shops charter with them. So tragic.

BrentB · Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 10:17 pm Post subject:

Prayers!

cmetzenberg · Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 11:42 pm Post subject:

They passed us Saturday afternoon at Santa Cruz. Last time i'll ever see that boat.

pluscount · Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 11:43 pm Post subject:

I've been certified for 50 years. in my younger days i dove off the Channel Islands lots.

When I first looked at he headline I thought "how can a boat full of swimmers lose that many so close to shore?"

Then it seems a fire may have trapped them below decks in their bunks. Tragic.

When I also heard the crew was safe I immediately thought of cowardice. However, if a below deck fire was the main cause, it makes sense the crew survived because they always sleep above deck. Tragic.

smckean (Tosca) · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2019 1:53 pm Post subject:

I am always puzzled as to why prayers are thought to be effective after a tragedy like this. Wouldn't it have been more compassionate of God to prevent the accident in the first place rather than for him/her to get involved afterwards just to help clean up the mess??

BrentB · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2019 3:04 pm Post subject:

We are commanded

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 English Standard Version (ESV)
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

God created us because He loves us. God never intended for tragedy and prejudice, wars and hatred, lust and greed, jealousy and pride. God meant for Earth to be a paradise, a place where there would be no death.

But a man and a woman, Adam and Eve, rebelled against God. This act of rebellion said, “I don’t need you, God. I can build my world without you.” As a result, mankind must suffer and die. Physical death is just the death of the body, but the spirit lives on. If your spirit is separated from God for eternity, it will be lost forever.

God has provided a rescue in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Gen 3; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Psalms 46:1-2

pcg · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2019 8:04 pm Post subject:

Let's not turn this tragedy into a religious discussion please. There are other websites for that.

localboy · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2019 8:23 pm Post subject:

SEA3PO · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2019 8:44 pm Post subject:

I am totally surprised that there was not an escape hatch or fire alarm...That boat had to be Coast Guard Inspected...

Joel
SEA3PO

Pacificcoast101 · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2019 9:16 pm Post subject:

It had been inspected within the past few weeks. There are two egresses, the stairway forward and an escape hatch above the bunks aft. Both lead to the salon, which was fully engulfed. There was no way out. Whatever caused the fire spread so fast that by the time the smoke alarms would have gone off it was already too late.

thataway · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2019 10:20 pm Post subject:

Crew except one slept in wheelhouse. One crew was sleeping in bunk room. Understand that stairs were just forward of galley & hatch just aft of galley. My guess is a propane explosion/fire in the galley. Very grim situation. Not a thing the crew could do.

The investigation will be very though. Maybe some standards changed. Marie is using & I were discussing escape plans we had on our larger boats. R Vs are mandated to have at least 2 escape hatches / exits.

Explosion /fire has to be one of the worse scenarios on any boat. This why we question propane aboard, except in a well ventilated area.

I believe prayers are directed to survivors & families. The crew members will remember this and perhaps second guess any actions. I suspect there was absolutely nothing they could have done to save lives.

Pacificcoast101 · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2019 11:52 pm Post subject:

They had an electric stove on the Conception. Speculation seems to be narrowed on lithium batteries being charged in the salon overnight, but only the NTSB will know for sure.

Micahbigsur@msn.com · Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:28 am Post subject:

The lithium battery speculation is scary, it is possible for them to discharge a large part of their energy almost instantaneously when shorted. We have seen how a laptop battery can start a fire imagine what a large boat battery bank could do or even some of the small auxiliary battery "generators" that are being marketed could do if the strict charging protocol goes haywire. Some newer, safer, high energy density batteries are coming on line.
No matter the cause I am so sad for the families of those who were lost, a couple were young students from a school near here, all a tragedy. Hopefully this will change commercial standards and regulations so future lives may be saved.