by Bob Walsh
This is one of those things that may have some significant down-stream repercussions for a whole business. Early Monday a commercial dive boat, with a total of about 38 people on board, including five crew, caught fire just off shore (maybe 25 yards) of Santa Cruz Island, one of the channel islands off of SoCal.
For reasons I don't quite understand it seems that the entire crew was awake on the bridge at 0530 when the fire started. They put out a SOS and then all jumped overboard. Depending on which story you believe the doors to below decks were "secured," which could mean shut or could mean shut and locked. Reports are saying locked, though I can't understand why they would be locked. There was minimal fire fighting equipment on board.
The boat burned to the waterline. There have been five bodies recovered. The water temp was not ridiculously cold and land was literally six or eight strokes away so there could be survivors, if they indeed got off the vessel, which is called the Conception.
Based on very limited and somewhat contradictory info, I find this more than a little puzzling. Why was the entire crew awake at 0530? Is that normal?. Why was there so little fire fighting equipment available (if true)? The Coast Guard does regulate these vessels and, I believe, does regular inspections. I have heard the radio calls and seen preliminary transcripts, C G radio seemed puzzled by the fact that the entire crew abandoned ship with zero attempt to fight the fire or rescue the passengers.
This is a big story at least on the left coast. I strongly suspect more info will be available pretty soon. I also wouldn't be surprised if the master or the crew find themselves in some difficulty over this outcome.
The Conception was a 75 foot purpose-built charter dive boat.
4 comments:
0530 seems a bit early for a crew meeting.
Some of the things I have found out since is that the ship had three decks, the guests berth in open dorms on 2 and 3. There is only one corridor below decks. There is only one exit. That exit goes past the galley. There are no additional emergency hatches or exits from the berth area. The ship and crew were very well thought of in the diving community. It appears as of now (Tuesday morning) that all passengers were lost. All the crew survived, some with injuries including one broken leg and some burns. What is left of the ship is in 40 feet of water 25 yards off of Santa Cruz island. The ship has passed all its safety inspections. There is video of the fire from at least one nearby boat. Looks to me like either the diesel fuel or propane galley fuel was involved in the fire.
Very tragic and...also very odd. Will be interesting what the ensuing investigation uncovers.
The NTSB and the Coast Guard are on this like olfactory offense upon excrement. I have also heard reports that one crew member also died in the fire. It seems that the situation is still not fully understood, or at least not being accurately reported.
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