Posted on 09/12/2019 1:13:09 PM PDT by billorites
Federal investigators on Thursday released a preliminary report on the Conception boat that killed nearly three-dozen people earlier this month off the coast of California, and said the entire crew was asleep when the blaze began.
National Transportation Safety Board officials have said the full investigation could take more than a year, and preliminary findings highlight remaining questions as much as they provide answers as to how the tragedy happened.
“A crew member sleeping in the wheelhouse berths was awakened by a noise and got up to investigate,” the report said. “As crew members awoke, the captain radioed a distress message to the Coast Guard.”
Regulations require a crew member on this type of boat to be awake at all times.
The Coast Guard didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the applicable regulations.
Truth Aquatics, which owns the Conception, declined to comment on the matter.
The preliminary investigation provides some key details beyond what NTSB officials have already talked about publicly in the days following the blaze.
“Initial interviews of three crew members revealed that no mechanical or electrical issues were reported,” the report said.
Only a handful of crew, including the captain, were able to escape the dive boat, which caught fire in the middle of the night, trapping all the passengers and one crew member who died. The wreckage of the boat remains submerged off the coast of Santa Cruz Island though crews are attempting to salvage it.
All 34 victims have been recovered, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
“Investigators plan to examine current regulations regarding vessels of this type, year of build, and operation; early-warning and smoke-detection and alarm systems; evacuation routes; training; and current company policies and procedures,” the report said. “Efforts continue to determine the source of the fire.”
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Basically someone sleeping on watch. Lots of fighting men have learned that bitter lesson in blood. Often the blood of their friends.
Any word on how the fire started and where?
It seems like the scrupulous attention to rules and detail that we had drummed into us growing up is an alien concept now days.
I see it with the young people I work with... detail is wholly incidental to them and they are daily blindsided with something that was avoidable... but they ignored it yesterday or last week. They have no clue
I hate lawyers.
Sometimes it is just and unfortunate set of circumstances.
If crew was all asleep, that's the liability.
Possible overloaded power strip charging everyone’s phones and cameras overnight. Very little to base this on but it makes sense to me. In any case this is a very sad event.
Sometimes it is just and unfortunate set of circumstances.
The lawyers are just doing their jobs, so don't blame them. Instead, blame the gutless juries and judges who let them get away with it.
Did the captain not assign someone (probably) or did the assigned person fall asleep like the Epstein guards?
Regulations require a crew member on this type of boat to be awake at all times.
Were these guys formerly employed at the FCI in NYC guarding Epstein??
If smoke and fire detection systems worked, even sleepy crew should have responded to a fire. Granted if anyone was standing watch they would have seen it when it was possibly easier to fight.
So I would say (1) defective smoke detectors (2) defective crew discipline and adherence to regulations, and (3) a defective charger that provided the spark, and possibly a source of fuel near the charging system? Usually for this level of consequence at least three failures of systems are necessary, it seems that was the case here.
Therefore, this accident was avoidable by breaking any one of the risk factors.
And how immediately the captain/owner said they’re not paying any claims.
Supposedly had A SMOKE DETECTOR LIKE YOU USE AT HOME. Since the boat was older, wasn’t few to have more modern safety requirements. Maybe like sprinklers.
Supposedly they all died from smoke inhalation.
Using some Civil War Era maritime law to dodge responsibility.
Oh, it’s worse than that (if possible) The Fire and Flooding watch was deemed unnecessary and no crew was assigned a watch while at anchor with 34 passengers aboard. Further, none of these “professional mariners” as the boat owner claims they are, took the initiative to confront and override the captain and stand a freaking watch. They preferred to sleep.
Well done, you freaking retards. Have a nice life trying to ever find employment anywhere else for the foreseeable future. I wouldn’t hire you to clean toilets - too much responsibility
But CA wasn’t in the CW so how could that apply?
Google: battery fires
Then click on Images.
But I agree that the most likely ignition cause is some combination of the boat's very limited electrical system with recharging of the many portable electronic consumer devices brought by the passengers.
I expect that underwriters of the coverage for dive boat operators will insist on an ironclad policy that all personal electric devices brought by the passengers be provided to the captain every evening that passengers stay overnight.
My bf said the exact same thing. He has been on all 3 boats. He also said that he charged his phone in the berths.
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