Posted on 09/02/2019 8:51:41 AM PDT by Zhang Fei
At least 34 people were feared dead after a boat caught fire off Santa Cruz Island, California, early Monday morning, officials have confirmed.
Fox affiliate KTTV earlier confirmed there were nearly three dozen fatalities, but Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr Matthew Kroll told Fox News the 34 people were unaccounted for from a commercial diving ship. The captain of the boat was helping with the rescue. Four other people were rescued. Lt. Cmdr Kroll later confirmed the ship sunk near the north shore of Santa Cruz Island after taking on water.
At least 34 people were feared dead after a boat caught fire off Santa Cruz Island, California, early Monday morning, officials have confirmed.
Fox affiliate KTTV earlier confirmed there were nearly three dozen fatalities, but Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr Matthew Kroll told Fox News the 34 people were unaccounted for from a commercial diving ship. The captain of the boat was helping with the rescue. Four other people were rescued. Lt. Cmdr Kroll later confirmed the ship sunk near the north shore of Santa Cruz Island after taking on water.
"The Coast Guard has launched multiple rescue assets along with assets from local agencies to assist more than 30 people in distress on a 75ft boat near Santa Cruz Island," Coast Guard LA said in a tweet shortly before 5 a.m. local time.
A second tweet from the Coast Guard said the vessel was reported as being on fire and that one of those rescued had minor injuries.
Firefighters with the Ventura County Fire Department responded around 3:28 a.m., according to a spokesperson.
The Coast Guard responded with two helicopters, two 45-foot Swift boats and an 87-foot cutter.
Officer Nathan Alldredge of the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol told Fox News that his office responded to a mutual aid call
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
No, I've been on the Conception. There's at least 2 escape hatches in the main berthing compartment. It's the law. Do people use them in a state of panic and overcome with toxic materials smoke in the tiny bunk room at 3am? There's going to be youngsters as some fatalities. Incredibly tragic.
Thanks.
This guy had a propane leak that blew up his boat: https://youtu.be/MNONnhmQ_po
San Nicholas is far south. All navy land, not a bombing range.
Most of the area and the islands are part of the military warning area for the Pacific Missile Test Center.
There were three different birthday parties going on on that boat..one for a 17 year old girl very sad
Yes. Makes sense. Having practiced or informed about them would also help. If the fire started in the main cabin galley,it still would make it hard to get out. The long range fishing boats have the same sort of arrangements. Some thinking is required to make them safer.
The galley area aft is where everyone is charging lithium batteries all night. Camera batteries, light batteries. Class D fire at 3am on a boat that started directly above the berthing compartment where 34 people were sleeping. (<speculation) Not where you want to be. I feel especially heartsick for the youngsters on this trip.
Propane leak? I’m guessing heating systems were in use as it can get chilly overnight on the water...
Were any of the Channel Islands ever used for a Navy bombing range?
I thought I read somewhere that one of those islands was used for that purpose, maybe in the World War II era?
Then again, there’s the old saying, don’t believe everything you read!
As for the Pacific Missile Test Center, I attended MANY Blue Angel Air Shows at the Point Mugu Naval Air Station starting in 1979. They were really something to see back then! 100,000 - 200,000 people would show up, including me, and sometimes my father.
One year, Ernest Borgnine showed up in the helicopter from the “Airwolf” TV series. When the chopper landed, he got out and waved to the enthusiastic crowd.
Good times. Lots of interesting static aircraft on display, from World War II to the present.
An elderly Japanese man had a table selling his book, “Bye Bye Black Sheep.” Turns out he was the Japanese pilot who shot down Greg “Pappy” Boyington during World War II!
One year Randy “Duke” Cunningham was selling HIS book about his experiences becoming a Navy ace in the Vietnam War. (Before he was a congressman and before he went to prison).
It was my favorite air show.
Wow, what a great story.
I would have liked to have seen the remains of those Indian camps on Santa Rosa Island.
I never ate an abalone, but I remember seeing them for sale from time to time in markets in the Santa Barbara area.
I remember being impressed by the size of the shells with the mother-of-pearl like interiors. Many of them were the size of bicycle helmets!
San Clemente island way south would have been the likely place for a bombing range. Mostly deserted and still used for SEAL live fire training.
Flew out to San Nick a couple times for some drone testing. Flully instrumented island with radar and missile launch sites. The ocean airspace is highly controlled with narrow airliner passage zones.
Ended up working at Pt Mugu for a few years, though in the early 2000’s it was winding down from the old heyday you remember. At any of the airshows when they did missile and gun shoots? SR-71 flyby was one of my favorites.
Sad. May they all rest in peace.
I would have liked to have seen the remains of those Indian camps on Santa Rosa Island.
I never ate an abalone, but I remember seeing them for sale from time to time in markets in the Santa Barbara area.
Also the fishing was fantastic. Our job was albacore, but we caught lots of fish for dinner at Santa Rosa.
True; but the stuff they mix with it ain't. It's mixed in just SO we can detect it by smell.
I think it’s ethyl mercaptan?
Smells like rotten eggs.
I don’t remember missile and gun shoots during the Point Mugu Air Shows I attended.
I remember one year there was a Harrier jump jet, and when that plane stopped and hovered in mid-air it was a real show stopper.
I don’t remember an SR-71 fly by....lots of F-14s, A-6 Intruders, and an occasional E2C Hawkeye and EA6B Prowler.
1970-80s era shows, launch a Sidewinder at a dropped flare over the ocean, another F-14 would cut loose a 20mm burst passing by the show center. An A-7 did a toss dummy bomb drop to show how they would deliver a tactical nuke. Amazing how far and high it soared.
I would guess PC infected the shows and later ones were pale versions of the old stuff. Sort of like happened to fireworks displays. No more crowd pleasers.
I did see an aircraft drop what I think were manganese flares....they were bright white. I assume they would be used in combat to deflect enemy heat-seeking air-to-air missiles away from Navy and Marine aircraft.
I also remember, now that you mention it, the dummy bomb drop simulating the delivery of a tactical nuke. Some guy in the crowd yelled out, “Hey! Where’s the mushroom cloud?”
There were junior-high school age boys at the Point Mugu Air Show every year yelling “Get Your Program!” Every year I bought one of those glossy magazine-like programs, and a large, color illustrated Blue Angels Yearbook type booklet.
I still have them all, packed away in my storage locker somewhere. I haven’t seen them in years.
Nitrox-yes, so advertised.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.