Lithium fire onboard. Not good.
Sad statement that all the crew dives off first thing. Probly in the fine print.
My understanding was that if the galley was on fire then both hatches to below decks would be unreachable.
If the fire STARTED below decks as per the lithium battery scenario then by the time the fire spread to the point that the crew in the wheelhouse knew of the fire there was nothing that could be done.
No point in making premature accusations.
I have heard from radio interviews that the bunk room was very crowded and had a single narrow stairway up to the deck.
Thr investigators have been looking at a sister ship and there was also an emergency escape hatch, but they found that emergency hatch almost impossibly difficult to access and operate.
If the charging station ignited a fure that blocked the primary escape route, the passengers probably had little chance of escape.
Not a good look that most of the crew survived and all of the passengers perished, but apparently the company that operates the boat has a lot of experience and a good reputation.
First thing? Where did you see that? Jerry made two calls to CG via radio which were answered by the dispatch. Jerry made those calls standing in the middle of smoke and fire on the bridge. One crewman had his girlfriend in the bunkroom. The crew threw 2 birthday parties the night before for some kids. One of the cooks was down there. This was the beginning of Day 3 of a 3 day trip so you've, as a crewmember, begun to make friends with these people but you probably know them already since they're "regulars" -
I doubt they just "jumped off first thing"