This archive report was first published on 3 September 2019.
On September 2, 2019, a commercial diving boat, Conception, caught fire while anchored off Santa Cruz Island, California, resulting in one of the deadliest maritime disasters in recent US history.
According to the US Coast Guard, 39 people were on board the vessel when the fire broke out, with 25 bodies later recovered and 9 still missing. Five crew members managed to escape the inferno.
The fire started in the early hours of Monday, September 2, while the boat was anchored about 145km west of Los Angeles. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear, but authorities have ruled out oxygen or propane tanks exploding as the initial spark.
"From stem to stern, the boat was engulfed in flames," said Bob Hansen, the owner of the Good Samaritan vessel, The Grape Escape, which rescued the survivors.
"I could see the fire coming through holes on the side of the boat," Hansen added. "There were these explosions every few beats. You can't prepare yourself for that. It was horrendous."
Coast Guard officials confirmed that the boat was "fully in compliance" with safety regulations and had no prior violations. However, Sheriff Bill Brown described the fire as "probably the worst case scenario you could possibly have" on a vessel, given the circumstances.
The Conception sank 18m off the north shore of Santa Cruz Island, at a depth of 20m. The boat was operated by Truth Aquatics, a diving company with a 4.5 rating on Trip Advisor, and was used for chartered trips in the Channel Islands National Park.
