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Tragic Dive boat fire in California

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by PacBlue, Sep 2, 2019.

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  1. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Yep... engineers not keeping enough oil in the sump... Just like the Viking Sky.
  2. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Yes, they should never have left port with that level of sump oil.
    The Chief Engineer should have been hung. (Unless he was under direct orders to keep it low as an oil change was due in the next port)
  3. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    They usually don't change oil on these large ships. Generally they run the oil through a centrifuge to get out contaminents and use it forever and only add to it.
  4. RER

    RER Senior Member

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    Why are we posting about sump oil levels on this thread?
  5. Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

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    Decay of safety standards and lack of government enforcement and responsiveness. Real or perceived.
  6. PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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  7. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Yes, the exemption that one of the 2 exits has to exit outside of the boat (onto a weather deck). It's no surprise as it would be virtually impossible to do on a boat like this and this design.
  8. PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    The exemptions are on 300+ votes throughout the cou8ntry, and include numerous grandfathered clauses, such as allowing 24" wide Escape Hatches versus 32" wide which have been the norm since 1996. No mention of egress required to a weather deck for a Subchapter T (small passenger vessel), although it could be possible if you dropped one of the Bunk Rooms.

    https://www.latimes.com/california/...fire-california-vessels-exempted-safety-rules
  9. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    True, but there is no way in modern times the escape hatch on this particular boat, having to get on a top bunk, contort to get out of it, etc. Would ever be approved by the USCG even if it was 32" wide or could be made 32" wide.
  10. Scott W

    Scott W Senior Member

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  11. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    NTSB Calls Out Lack of Progress in Implementing Safety Recommendations Following Conception Dive Boat Fire

    Mike Schuler

    September 1, 2022

    The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says more need to be done to implement safety recomendations in wake of the Conception dive boat fire.

    Now three years since the incident, only one of the three associations with members operating small passenger vessels with overnight accommodations have implemented the NTSB recommendations.

    The Conception was anchored in PlattsHarbor, off Santa Cruz Island, California, when it caught fire in the early morning of September 2, 2019. The vessel burned to the waterline and sank less than 100 feet from shore, killing 34 people who were sleeping below deck in the bunk room. 33 passengers and one crew member lost their lives.

    Following the investigation, the NTSB issued 10 new safety recommendations: seven to the U.S. Coast Guard, two to associations that have members operating small passenger vessels with overnight accommodations, and one to Truth Aquatics, Inc., the operator of the vessel. The NTSB also reiterated its 2005 recommendation for the Coast Guard to require all U.S.-flag passenger vessels to implement a safety management system. Since 2005, the NTSB has investigated four passenger vessel accidents, including the Conception, where the lack of an SMS was an issue.

    According to the NTSB, so far only the Passenger Vessel Association has taken sufficient action to satisfy the NTSB recommendations, while the Sportfishing Association of California and the National Association of Charterboat Operators have yet to respond.

    “Three years ago, I made a promise to the victims’ families that I would vigorously work to ensure the safety recommendations we issued would be implemented,” said Chair Jennifer Homendy. “While I am encouraged by the progress that has been made, more work needs to be done. NTSB will continue to push until these recommendations are fully implemented.”

    The Elijah E. Cummings Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2020 mandates that the USCG carry out all of the NTSB recommendations issued or reiterated as a result of the Conception investigation.

    “We appreciate Congress addressing these safety issues in legislation, and for the cooperation and partnership of the Coast Guard,” said Chair Homendy. “But this shouldn’t have taken an act of Congress to improve safety. Passenger vessel owners and operators should act now to ensure no one else loses a loved one in another tragedy on our waterways.”

    NTSB encourages operators of vessels with overnight accommodations to:

    • Install smoke detectors in all accommodation spaces and ensure they are interconnected so when one detector goes off, they all do. While the Conception berthing space did have smoke detectors, they were the only ones on the vessel and would only alarm locally in the berthing space and not throughout the entire vessel.
    • Ensure that the primary and secondary emergency escape paths do not lead to the same space, which can be blocked by a single hazard. The Conception had two means of escape from the lower deck bunk room, but both led into the salon on the deck above, which was filled with heavy smoke and fire. Tragically, the salon compartment was the only escape path to the outside weather deck. Because there was fire in the salon, the passengers and a crew member were trapped below.
    • ?Vessel owners and operators should review the requirements of the Certificate of Inspection (COI) and ensure they adhere to the conditions of operation such as designating and maintaining roving patrols at all times when bunks or berthing spaces are occupied. Our investigation found that the Conception fire was uncontrollable by the time it was discovered because no crew members were assigned roving patrol duties on board the Conception, even though it was a condition of operation on their COI.
    • Keep escape routes unobstructed at all times.
    • Implement a safety management system. Had an SMS been implemented, Truth Aquatics could have identified unsafe practices and fire risks on the Conception and taken corrective action before the tragedy occurred.
  12. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Captain of Dive Boat Found Guilty of ‘Seaman’s Manslaughter’ in California Tragedy

    Mike Schuler

    November 7, 2023

    In a late afternoon verdict on Monday, Jerry Nehl Boylan, the captain of the Conception dive boat, was found guilty by a jury of one count of misconduct or neglect of ship officer, commonly known as “seaman’s manslaughter.”

    The tragic incident occurred on Labor Day in 2019 near Santa Cruz Island, resulting in the deaths of 33 passengers and one crew member who had been sleeping below deck.

    The Conception, a 75-foot passenger vessel, caught fire while anchored in Platt’s Harbor during a dive trip. The fire quickly engulfed the boat, leading to its sinking and the loss of 34 lives. Five crew members, including Boylan, managed to escape and survive.

    During the trial, evidence revealed that Boylan, as the captain, committed a series of failures that contributed to the disaster. The jury found that his misconduct, gross negligence, and inattention to his duties resulted in the deaths of the victims. These failures included abandoning the ship instead of rescuing passengers and failing to provide proper training, diligence, and life-saving measures.

    The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the owner and operator of the Conception, Truth Aquatics, Inc., failed to provide effective oversight of the vessel and its crew operations. This lack of oversight allowed an undetected fire to grow, ultimately causing the tragedy. The NTSB also highlighted the absence of smoke detection in all accommodation spaces and inadequate emergency escape arrangements as contributing factors to the high loss of life.

    Boylan, who was responsible for the safety and security of the vessel, its passengers, and its crew, was found guilty for his failures. These included the absence of a night watch or roving patrol, insufficient fire drills and crew training, and the failure to provide firefighting instructions or use available firefighting equipment.

    In his defense, Boylan’s lawyers blamed the vessel’s owner for not requiring night patrols or fire training. They also argued that he broadcasted a distress call before jumping overboard when he believed he wouldn’t survive.

    United States Attorney Martin Estrada said he hopes that the verdict brings solace and closure to the loved ones of the victims.

    “This ship captain’s unpardonable cowardice led to the deaths of 34 lives on Labor Day 2019. As the jury found, this tragedy could have been avoided had Mr. Boylan simply performed the duties he was entrusted to carry out,” said Estrada.

    Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, emphasized the importance of proper training and diligence.

    “Let this tragedy be a lesson to anyone who commands a boat with vulnerable passengers that proper training, diligence and life saving measures – when called for – are necessary to safeguard those left in one’s charge,” Alway said.

    Coast Guard Investigative Service Director Jeremy Gauthier called the guilty verdict a testament to seeking justice and honoring the memory of those lost. He praised the collaborative efforts of multiple agencies in uncovering critical evidence.

    The sentencing hearing for Boylan is scheduled for February 8, 2024. He is currently free on a $75,000 bond.
  13. PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    Tragic for all the deceased and survivors in this maritime disaster, cannot underestimate the importance of keeping a watch at all times for passenger vessels.