Edhat Staff
By edhat staff
The City of Santa Barbara unveiled a new plaque to remember the 34 people who lost their lives in the Conception boat fire one year ago.
A pre-recorded plaque dedication and virtual commemoration aired at 7:00 a.m. Wednesday and can be viewed here.
The city’s Waterfront Department, Mayor Cathy Murillo, and County Sheriff Bill Brown expressed their condolences to the family and loved ones on this anniversary.
The “Lost at Sea” memorial plaque was unveiled near Sea Landing to remember and celebrate the lives of those lost at sea.
On September 2, 2019, the 75-foot dive boat named the Conception caught fire and sank off the coast of Santa Cruz Island. The boat was anchored overnight at Platts Harbor with 33 passengers and 1 crew member asleep below decks when the fire broke out shortly after 3 a.m. Five of the crew members, whose sleeping quarters were on the top deck, were forced by the fire to jump overboard but not before placing an initial mayday call to the Coast Guard and attempting to alert the passengers.
The video displayed a slideshow including photos of all 34 victims with most of their names read by a surviving family member or friend. Most of the victims were from Santa Cruz and the Bay Area. It is believed that the youngest was age 16 and the oldest were in their 60s, with a majority of the victims from Santa Cruz and the Bay Area.
It is the worst maritime disaster in California since the sinking of Brother Jonathan in 1865, and the deadliest in the United States overall since the USS Iowa turret explosion in 1989.
This week the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced it will hold an Oct. 20 meeting on the agency’s investigation of the fire. Their board will vote on the agency’s findings, probable cause, and recommendations, as well as any changes to the draft final report.
Several lawsuits have been filed against the Conception’s operating company, Truth Aquatics, alleging the boat was in violation of Coast Guard regulations. Namely the lack of an overnight “roving safety watch,” failure to provide a safe storing and charging area for lithium-ion batteries, and a lack of accessible emergency exits for below deck passengers.
Conception Boat Fire Articles
