Federal authorities will vote Tuesday on what likely caused a pre-dawn fire on a dive boat last year that killed 34 people on a holiday weekend scuba diving trip off the Southern California coast.
The National Transportation Safety Board vote will identify the fire’s probable cause and recommendations to prevent similar fires. Thirty-three passengers and a crew members aboard the Conception were killed Sept. 2, 2019 in the fire near Santa Cruz Island.
One of California’s deadliest maritime disasters, the fire led to criminal and safety investigations.
In its report released last month, NTSB investigators said the cause remains undetermined, but identified phones and other electronic devices plugged into outlets as a possible ignition point. A crew member reported sparks when he plugged his cellphone in hours before the fire, according to authorities.
Five crew members were sleeping above deck when the fire started. They escaped by jumping into the water and repeatedly tried to save others, authorities said.
Passengers were sleeping below deck at the time.
The NTSB is a federal regulatory agency, but it has no enforcement powers. It can only submit its suggestions to agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration or the Coast Guard, which have rejected some of the board’s safety recommendations after other disasters.
The Coast Guard issued safety recommendations that include limiting the charging of device with lithium-ion batteries and use of power strips an extension cords.
Crew members told investigators they were not trained on emergency procedures, according to federal documents released last month.
Coroner’s reports show the victims died of carbon monoxide poisoning before they were burned.
Families of the victims have filed claims against the boat owners and boat company. The company has filed a claim to shield it from damages under a maritime law that limits liability of vessel owners.
Source: NBC Los Angeles
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