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Coordinates: 34°02′51″N 119°44′06″W / 34.04750°N 119.73500°W / 34.04750; -119.73500
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* {{Cite web|url=https://www.truthaquatics.com/conception/|title=Conception|date=2019-09-03|website=Truth Aquatics|access-date=2019-09-03}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.truthaquatics.com/conception/|title=Conception|date=2019-09-03|website=Truth Aquatics|access-date=2019-09-03}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.truthaquatics.com/calendar/?tribe_venues%5B%5D=40&undefined=Submit&tribe_venues%5B%5D=40|title=Events Archive|date=2019-09-03|website=Truth Aquatics|access-date=2019-09-03}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.truthaquatics.com/calendar/?tribe_venues%5B%5D=40&undefined=Submit&tribe_venues%5B%5D=40|title=Events Archive|date=2019-09-03|website=Truth Aquatics|access-date=2019-09-03}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.sbsheriff.org/conception-dive-boat-tragedy/|title=Conception Dive Boat Tragedy|date=2019-09-02|website=Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office|access-date=2019-09-03}}


{{2019 shipwrecks}}
{{2019 shipwrecks}}

Revision as of 22:59, 3 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
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.

The sinking of the MV Conception occurred on September 2, 2019, when the 75-foot (23 m) diving boat caught fire and eventually sank off the coast of Santa Cruz Island, California, United States. The boat was anchored in Platts Harbor, a small undeveloped bay on the north shore of the island, with over 30 passengers asleep below decks when fire broke out shortly after 3 a.m. The five crew members, who were awake, escaped and were picked up by a nearby boat. The loss of the ship spurred a rescue operation by the United States Coast Guard.[1][2]

Boat

A dive boat of similar design to the MV Conception, with multiple decks including sleeping berths below deck

The MV Conception was a 75-foot (23 m) "liveaboard" boat that could be chartered by groups to eat, sleep, and relax while diving around the Channel Islands, located in proximity to the coast by Los Angeles, California. The vessel was believed to be in compliance with all regulations and did not have any violations. It could sleep up to 46 individuals with 13 double bunks and 20 single bunks that were stacked in twos and threes.[3] The ship, operated by Truth Aquatics, was on a three-day scuba-diving voyage for the Labor Day holiday weekend, and was one of Truth Aquatics' most popular diving tour packages.[4][5]

Fire

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 the ship was on fire.[3] Five of the six crew members were able to escape the vessel and paddled out to other boats nearby to seek aid. One of those who managed to escape the vessel was the ship's captain, who claimed the rear escape hatch was engulfed in fire and the surviving crew could do nothing to help the passengers.[6][7]

They put out a mayday alert from one of the vessels and used a small inflatable boat to attempt to search for survivors.[3] 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.[5]

Coast Guard crews, the Ventura County and Santa Barbara County Fire Departments, and Vessel Assist responded to a mayday call of a boat engulfed in flames that they had received at 3:30 am.[8] Officials struggled to fight the fire, as the ship was in a remote location with limited firefighting capabilities, passengers were sleeping below deck, and the fire was quick-moving. In order to attempt to fight the fire and allow for fireboats to reach the vessel, it was towed out to deeper water by a TowBoatUS ship.[9] The ship sank about four hours later,[5] to a depth of 64 feet (20 m) approximately 20 yards (18 m) from the north shore of the Santa Cruz Island.[4]

Victims

As of September 2, Coast Guard divers located 25 bodies, while nine other people remained missing. Four bodies were initially recovered about 90 miles (140 km) northwest of Los Angeles and another 16 were pulled from the water later. Another five bodies were visible in the vessel but unreachable due to concerns about unsafe conditions of the boat.[9] 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.[10][7]

Two of the victims are believed to be students at the Pacific Collegiate School, which educates students from seventh to twelfth grades.[11] It is believed that the youngest victims are 17 and the oldest were in their 60s, with a majority of the victims from Santa Cruz and the Bay Area.[12]

Aftermath

An investigation has been opened in order to determine if there were working smoke detectors on the ship at the time of the fire and if the crew attempted to utilize any firefighting equipment before abandoning the ship.[12]

A makeshift memorial was created outside the headquarters of Truth Aquatics in Santa Barbara Harbor.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ Dowd, Katie; SFGATE (2019-09-02). "What we know about the Santa Cruz Island boat fire disaster". SFGate. Retrieved 2019-09-02.
  2. ^ "4 Bodies Recovered Near Santa Cruz Island Where Dive Boat Burned; at Least 29 Still Missing: USCG". KTLA. 2019-09-02. Retrieved 2019-09-02.
  3. ^ a b c Wilson, Scott (September 2, 2019). "Eight dead, 26 unaccounted for after diving boat catches fire near California coast, officials say". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2019-09-03. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  4. ^ a b "California boat fire: More bodies found off Santa Cruz Island". BBC. September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c 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.
  6. ^ September 3, CBS News; 2019; Pm, 12:46. ""You can only imagine the horror": Couple who rescued California boat fire survivors speaks out". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2019-09-03. {{cite web}}: |last2= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ a b "Coast Guard suspends search efforts for victims of California boat fire". CBS News. September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  8. ^ Rodriguez, Adrianna; Lam, Kristin. "All 33 passengers presumed dead after horrific California boat fire, Coast Guard says". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  9. ^ a b c Dazio, Stefanie (September 2, 2019). "Coast Guard: 25 bodies found after California boat fire". AP NEWS. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  10. ^ "Search called off for 34 presumed dead in fire on diving boat off Southern California". NBC News. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  11. ^ Sheehy, Kate (2019-09-03). "2 students from elite high school were on doomed dive boat: report". New York Post. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  12. ^ a b Hutchinson, Bill (September 3, 2019). "Remains of 20 victims recovered in California boat fire, police say". ABC News. Retrieved 2019-09-03. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
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