One year since Conception: victims remembered as investigation results expected

SANTA BARBARA—It’s been one year since the deadly Conception dive boat fire, and the 34 victims will forever be engrained on the Santa Barbara Waterfront and in the hearts of many, remembered for their shared love of adventure and the ocean.

What sparked the flames on the 75-foot commercial diving vessel on Sept. 2, 2019 remains under investigation. On Aug. 31, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced a board meeting will be held on Oct. 20, when the results of the agency’s investigation are expected be released. NTSB, in a released statement, said its five-member board will vote on the findings, probable cause and recommendations, as well as any changes to the draft final report.

The announcement came just two days before the one-year anniversary of the fire, a day the Santa Barbara Waterfront unveiled a permanent place for the victims in the harbor, the location Conception departed from. In an online event on Sept. 2, the Waterfront Department unveiled a plaque bearing the names of the 33 passengers and one crew member who died in the tragedy.

The virtual event included recorded video messages by local officials and photos and names of the victims’, some of which were read by family members. The plaque is now part of the Lost at Sea Memorial at the end of the harbor breakwater.

“Maybe it offers some bit of solace in that they will be remembered, their names will always be out here,” Christopher Bell, Administrative analyst and Public Information Officer for the Santa Barbara Waterfront, said.

A large temporary makeshift memorial made up of photos, messages, flowers, scuba gear and other items that had been growing on Sea Landing since the tragedy was also moved the Lost at Sea Memorial.

“Rest in Peace Marybeth Guiney. Daughter, Sister, Friend, Unrelenting adventurer, ardent diver, New England Patriots Fan, Lover of wildlife, oceans, sharks and wine,” a note written on a photo of a young woman posing with a dolphin read.

Some family members and friends gathered at the plaque on Sept. 2 while others gathered aboard Condor Express for a visit to the site of the deadly fire and for a memorial dive. Harbor Patrol Officer Ryan Kelly, who responded to the boat fire with his partner Officer Karl Halamicek, was onboard, invited by some of the families.

“I was a little apprehensive because I hadn’t met any of the families yet,” Kelly said. “Are they going to be upset that we didn’t do more? And it was just the opposite, we were really welcomed with open arms.”

Kelly said it was a foggy, dark night on Sept. 2, 2019, when they were called out of bed. He said they weren’t given too much information on the 22-mile ride to Platts Harbor off Santa Cruz Island where Conception was anchored, but as they approached and saw the bright glow, he said his heart sank.

“It took a toll emotionally, on my partner and I, because when we go out, we’re in the mindset of rescuing not recovering,” Kelly said.

Conception was a popular diving boat owned by Santa Barbara-based Truth Aquatics, and was familiar to many, including Kelly. Conception was the first boat Kelly ever worked on as he began pursuing the credentials for a career as a Harbor Patrol officer in his mid-twenties.

“That’s really where I cut my teeth learning how to be a mariner,” Kelly said.

“I knew the captain really well. The image of his face afterwards is really burned into my memory because I’ve never seen a more despondent look on anyone’s face.”

While the cause of the blaze has not yet been definitively established, the safety of the boat was brought into question after the deadly disaster, including concerns about the use of power strips for the purpose of recharging lithium ion batteries for camera gear, cellphones and other equipment. A few days after the fire, the U.S. Coast Guard issued a safety bulletin, that included a warning to passenger boat operators to consider limiting battery charging and excessive use of power strips.

The design of the boat has also come under scrutiny. The lower berthing area, where all victims were asleep, could be accessed by stairwell and had one emergency escape hatch located above the top level of a bunk bed. Both the hatch and the stairwell opened into the galley, which was engulfed in flames.

Coast Guard records show the boat had passed its two most recent safety inspections without violations.

A preliminary report also found there was no roving watch as required by the U.S. Coast Guard during the hours when passengers were asleep below deck. According to a preliminary report, all six crew members were asleep when the fire broke out. Five crew members were sleeping above the deck and survived the fire by jumping from the boat. According to testimony from three of the crew members, they tried to rescue those who were trapped below before abandoning attempts once the conditions became too dangerous.

Truth Aquatics filed a lawsuit under the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851, which says the owner of any ship can limit damage claims to the value of the ship’s remains if they can prove they had no knowledge of any dangerous flaws. At least two lawsuits have been filed against Truth Aquatics.

The Oct. 20 NTSB meeting will be open to the public via webcast. A link to the meeting will be available at ntsb.windrosemedia.com/. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. EST.

The fire is also being investigated by several other agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation.