sbm....
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office announced the end of the search on Twitter , saying it was “relieved to report” the final victim had been found.
Authorities were still doing DNA tests to confirm the identities of seven of the victims.
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Divers recover body of last missing victim of boat fire
I will look up the regulations for surge bars for cruise ships, but they are electrically ok to use in boats and yachts.Actually you bring up an important point about surge protection. You actually shouldn’t use a surge protector on a boat, at least not one made for land-based use like a typical power bar, because it is a fire hazard. Power bars with surge protectors are actually banned on cruise ships for this reason.
I will look up the regulations for surge bars for cruise ships, but they are electrically ok to use in boats and yachts.
Usually the simple power bars catch fire when overloaded. Typical surge protected power bars have short circuit protection. The main problem is multiple power bars, connected in series, with too many devices plugged into them.
The major fire in Trump Tower, killing Todd Brassner, was caused by such a setup.
It also said there were two smoke detectors in the bunk room, but didn’t say if they were working. It says the crew repeatedly tried to get to the trapped passengers but were turned away by flames. It makes me wonder if they had fire extinguishers? This article doesn’t say.The latest findings....I found this story, finally.
Entire crew was asleep, NTSB:
Entire crew was asleep when dive boat fire started: NTSB
Happyday, the info below is consistent with info I read earlier. Also remember seeing a fire extinguisher under the bathroom sink (near sleeping area) and another one in the dining area. I saw them on a video someone posted of their trip. This is an unimaginable tragedy.It also said there were two smoke detectors in the bunk room, but didn’t say if they were working. It says the crew repeatedly tried to get to the trapped passengers but were turned away by flames. It makes me wonder if they had fire extinguishers? This article doesn’t say.
Link to an article posted Thursday, Sept 12 in the LA Times:
Conception crew members were sleeping when boat fire
broke out, in violation of rules
SANTA BARBARA —
"All crew members were asleep when the Conception caught fire early on Labor Day, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday, a major revelation in the investigation of the worst maritime disaster in modern California history.
The agency’s preliminary report said “at the time of the fire, five crewmembers were asleep in berths behind the wheelhouse, and one crewmember was asleep in the bunkroom.” The boat was required by federal law to have a night watchman who was awake and could alert others to fire and other dangers, said NTSB board member Jennifer Homendy.
U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Monica Rochester said a watchman typically walks through the vessel and checks equipment throughout the night. Coast Guard investigators determined, based on early interviews with the crew, that no one was on watch when the blaze broke out."
The articles goes on to say that officials are also investigating whether passengers received appropriate safety instructions aboard the vessel and whether the escape hatch located in the bunk room provided an adequate route for people to leave the boat during an emergency. Officials are also wondering "whether safety agencies that have been aware of the dangers of lithium-ion batteries in other modes of transportation have considered applying this knowledge to the charter boating industry."
Here is also a link to another image of the wreckage of the Conception after it had been lifted off the ocean floor - from a CNN online article.
Maritime laws enacted in the 1800s, typically obscure to all but a handful of experts, are suddenly gaining prominence through their link to the Southern California boat fire that killed 34 people.
The Limitation of Liability Act of 1851 was cited last week by the owners of dive boat operator Truth Aquatics, whose vessel burst into flames early in the morning of Labor Day just off Santa Cruz Island, claiming the lives of 33 passengers and a crew member.
Now the arcane Seaman’s Manslaughter Statute, passed in 1838 and amended in 1852, figures to play a leading role if prosecutors file criminal charges stemming from the tragedy.
Two sources have confirmed to The Associated Press that a criminal investigation has been opened into the case, with the FBI, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles spearheading the inquiry.
Here are questions to some answers about a pre-Civil War law that has gained new relevance:
What’s the law’s intent?
The Seaman’s Manslaughter Statute aimed to curtail steamboat accidents at a time when thousands were dying in such mishaps.
The law calls for up to 10 years in prison for any “captain, engineer, pilot, or other person employed on any steamboat or vessel, by whose misconduct, negligence, or inattention to his duties on such vessel the life of any person is destroyed.’’
The measure also applies to owners, operators and public officers whose dereliction of duties leads to any deaths.
The most unusual aspect of the statute is it requires prosecutors only to prove negligence or misconduct, a low bar to gain a conviction for a criminal offense.
“It creates a standard that’s very similar to civil fault,’’ said Martin Davies, director of the Tulane University Maritime Law Center. “It’s just ordinary negligence. It’s usually much higher (like gross negligence).’’
Charges in California boat fire may hinge on 1838 law. Here's why
Very interesting information on "requirement." (Note: requirement, not a suggestion)
The Conception's Certificate of Inspection, issued by the Coast Guard, requires a "roving patrol at all times" when passengers' bunks are occupied.
Crew was asleep when fatal boat fire ignited, officials say
Pretty darn specific.A MEMBER OF THE VESSEL'S CREW SHALL BE DESIGNATED BY THE MASTER AS A ROVING PATROL AT ALL TIMES, WHETHER OR
NOT THE VESSEL IS UNDERWAY, WHEN THE PASSENGER'S BUNKS ARE OCCUPIED
Certificate of Inspection pdf
https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/...5f54/conception-certificate-of-inspection.pdf
A MEMBER OF THE VESSEL'S CREW SHALL BE DESIGNATED BY THE MASTER AS A ROVING PATROL AT ALL TIMES, WHETHER OR
NOT THE VESSEL IS UNDERWAY, WHEN THE PASSENGER'S BUNKS ARE OCCUPIED.