2019 — Sep 2, diving boat Conception fire, near north side of Santa Cruz Island, CA — 34

–34  Nat. Transportation Safety Board. Preliminary Report: Marine DCA19MM047. 9-12-2019.

 

Victims:

 

  1. Carol Diana Adamic, 60, Santa Cruz.[1] Wife of Steve Salika and mother of Tia Salika).[2]
  2. Juha Pekka Ahopelto, 50. Sunnyvale.[3]

Bernice Felipe Alvarez, 16. (See Bernice Felipe below).

  1. Neal Gustav Baltz, 42, Phoenix, Engineer.[4]
  2. Patricia Ann Beitzinger, 48, Chandler, AZ (companion of Neal Baltz).[5]
  3. Veidehi Campbell (Williams?),[6] 41, Felton, CA;[7] Soquel Creek Water District employee.[8]
  4. Kendra Chan, 26. Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura; daughter of Scot.[9]
  5. Raymond Scott Chan, 59, Oxnard. Physics teacher at American High School, Fremont, CA.[10]
  6. Sanjeeri Deopujari (Nirmal), 31,[11] Stamford, CT;[12] married to Kaustubh; a dentist.[13]
  7. Justin Carroll Dignam, 58. Founder of Big Fish Employer Services, Placentia, CA.[14]
  8. Berenice Felipe,[15] 16, Santa Cruz. Student at Pacific Collegiate School (charter middle and high school).[16]
  9. Lisa Fiedler, 52. Mill Valley hairdresser and nature photographer.[17]
  10. Kristina “Kristy” Finstad, 41, Santa Cruz. Owner of Worldwide Diving Adventures.[18]
  11. Adrian Dahood-Fritz, 40. Sacramento; research scientist; wife of Andrew.[19]
  12. Andrew Fritz, 40. Sacramento photography teacher; husband of Adrian.[20]
  13. Daniel Garcia, 46; of Berkeley. Apple employee.[21]
  14. Marybeth Guiney, 51, Santa Monica. Sales director and ocean enthusiast.[22]
  15. Yuko Hatano, 39, San Jose.[23]

Mike Kohls, galley cook and deckhand on Conception.[24] (Not named on Sep 13 lists of 34.)[25]

  1. Yulia Krashennaya, 40, of Berkeley; product manager at Spiralinks.[26]
  2. Alexandra “Allie” Kurtz, 26, Santa Barbara. Dive instructor.[27] Crew member?[28]
  3. Xiang Lin, 45, Fremont.[29] Beijing native; moved to US for college; worked at Acorn Summit Ventures.[30]
  4. Charles McIlvain, 44, Santa Monica.[31] Visual effects designer, Walt Disney Imagineering.[32]
  5. Caroline (Carrie) McLaughlin, 35, Oakland. Senior software engineer, Brilliant company.[33]
  6. Kaustubh Nirmal, 33, Stamford, CT;[34] married to Sanjeeri Deopujari; worked in finance.[35]
  7. Angela Rose Quitasol, 28, of Stockton (sister of Evan Michael and Nicole).[36]
  8. Evan Michel Quitasol, 37, Stockton. Sister of Nicole & Angela);[37] celebrating her birthday.[38]
  9. Michael Quitasol, 62, of Stockton (father of the Quitasol sisters).[39]
  10. Nicole Storm Quitasol, 31, of Imperial Beach (sister of Evan Michael and Angela).[40]
  11. Steven Salika, 55, of Santa Cruz. Senior manager at Apple; father of Tia.[41]
  12. Tia Salika (or Salika-Adamic), 17, Santa Cruz. College student; celebrating 17th[42]
  13. Sunil Singh Sandhu, 45, Half Moon Bay, CA;[43] Pointcloud, Inc. silicon photonics senior scientist.[44]
  14. Fernisa Sison, 57, Stockton (wife of Michael Quitasol, stepmother of three Quitasol sisters).[45]
  15. Ted Strom, 62, of Germantown, TN;[46] Associate Professor of TN Health Science Ctr.[47]
  16. Kristian Takvam. 34, San Francisco. Vice President of engineering, Brilliant company.[48]
  17. Wei Tan, 26, of Goleta, CA;[49] data scientist with Evidation Health, Santa Barbara.[50]

 

Narrative Information

 

NTSB: “On Monday, September 2, 2019, about 3:14 a.m. Pacific daylight time, US Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach received a distress call from the 75-foot commercial diving vessel Conception, with 39 persons on board. The Conception was owned and operated by Truth Aquatics, Inc., based in Santa Barbara, California. The Conception was classified by the Coast Guard as a small passenger vessel that took passengers on dive excursions in the waters around the Channel Islands off the coast of Santa Barbara. The accident voyage was a three-day diving trip to the Channel Islands. On the last night of the voyage, the vessel was anchored in Platts Harbor off Santa Cruz Island, 21.5 nautical miles south-southwest of Santa Barbara, when it caught fire. Weather conditions were reported as slight to no winds with patchy fog, 2–3-foot seas, and air and water temperature about 65°F. The Conception was carrying 39 persons, 6 of which were crew. Thirty-three passengers and one crewmember died.

 

“The wood and fiberglass vessel was built in 1981. The vessel had three levels: the uppermost sun deck, containing the wheelhouse and crew rooms; the main deck, which included the salon and galley; and the lower deck within the hull, which housed the passenger berthing(bunkroom) and shower room, as well as the engine room and tanks.

 

“Initial interviews of three crewmembers revealed that no mechanical or electrical issues were reported. At the time of the fire, five crewmembers were asleep in berths behind the wheelhouse, and one crewmember was asleep in the bunkroom, which was accessed from the salon down a ladderwell in the forward, starboard corner of the compartment. The bunkroom had an emergency escape hatch located on the aft end, which also exited to the salon. There were two, locally-sounding smoke detectors in the overhead of the bunkroom.

 

“A crewmember sleeping in the wheelhouse berths was awakened by a noise and got up to investigate. He saw a fire at the aft end of the sun deck, rising up from the salon compartment below. The crewmember alerted the crew behind the wheelhouse. As crewmembers awoke, the captain radioed a distress message to the Coast Guard.

 

“The crewmembers attempted to access the salon and passengers below. Unable to use the aft ladder, which was on fire, the crewmembers jumped down to the main deck (one crewmember broke his leg in the process) and tried to access the salon and galley compartment, which was fully engulfed by fire at the aft end and by thick smoke in the forward end, through a forward window. Unable to open the window and overwhelmed by smoke, the crew jumped overboard.

 

“Two crewmembers and the captain swam to the stern, reboarded the vessel, opened the hatch to the engine room, and saw no fire. Access to the salon through the aft doors was blocked by fire, so they launched a small skiff and picked up the remaining two crewmembers in the water. They transferred to a recreational vessel anchored nearby (Grape Escape) where the captain continued to radio for help, while two crewmembers returned to the Conception to search for survivors around the burning hull. Local Coast Guard and fire departments arrived on scene to extinguish the fire and conduct search and rescue. The vessel burned to the waterline by morning and subsequently sank in about 60 feet of water.

 

“Later that day, the Coast Guard declared the accident a major marine casualty. The NTSB was named as the lead federal agency for the safety investigation and launched a full team to Santa Barbara, arriving on scene the following morning. The Coast Guard, Truth Aquatics, Inc., Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, and Santa Barbara County Fire Department were named aas parties to the NTSB investigation.

 

“Investigators have collected documents from recent Coast Guard inspections and visited another Truth Aquatics vessel, Vision, a vessel similar to the Conception. Salvage operations to bring the wreckage to the surface for examination and documentation have begun. Investigators plan to examine current regulations regarding vessels of this type, year of build, and operation; early-warning and smoke-detection and alarm systems; evacuation routes; training; and current company policies and procedures. Efforts continue to determine the source of the fire.” (National Transportation Safety Board. Preliminary Report: Marine DCA19MM047. 9-12-2019.)

 

Media Reporting (Chronological)

 

Sep 2: “Coast Guard officials said eight people are dead and 26 are missing after a 75-foot commercial diving boat erupted in flames near the shoreline of Santa Cruz Island, Calif., early Monday.

 

“Many aboard the vessel Conception[51] were thought to be sleeping below deck when the fire broke out in the predawn hours. Authorities continued their search Monday for possible survivors as the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s coroner office prepared for a mass casualty incident….

 

“Authorities identified four of the victims as two men and two women and said they will need to be identified through DNA. Four additional victims were found on the ocean floor 64 feet down, near where the boat sank. Dive teams are working to recover those bodies, but what’s left of the boat remains unstable, said Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown.

 

“Five crew members were already awake when the fire erupted and jumped off the boat, which was 20 yards off shore of the north side of Santa Cruz Island near the Ventura County coast, Rochester said. One crew member remains unaccounted for….

 

“Around 3:15 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach watch-standers overheard a mayday call of the boat on fire, according to the agency. In the garbled emergency call, a man says there are 39 people aboard. ‘I can’t breathe,’ the man frantically says.

 

“The five crew members, two with leg injuries, were rescued by a good Samaritan boat, the Grape Escape, according to the agency….

 

“Shirley Hansen and her husband, Bob, were jarred awake about 3:30 a.m. by the sound of pounding on the side of their 60-foot fishing boat. The crew had escaped the Conception by jumping into the ocean, retrieving a dinghy and paddling 200 yards to the Hansens’ boat, the Grape Escape, Shirley Hansen said in an interview. The crew was distraught, some wearing only underwear, she said. One man told the Hansens that his girlfriend was still below deck on the Conception. Another man cried, describing how they had celebrated three passengers’ birthdays hours earlier, including that of a 17-year-old girl who was on the diving trip with her parents. Shirley Hansen said she could see the Conception ablaze from her boat and said there was so much smoke that she had to use an inhaler.

 

“As the Hansens handed out blankets and clothes to the crew, two of the men got back into the dinghy to see if anyone else had jumped overboard. ‘But they came back and there was no one that they found,’ Shirley Hansen said.

 

“As the fog lifted Monday at 2 p.m., at least three rescue vessels were at sea near the sunken dive boat, located in a remote cove at the northernmost end of Santa Cruz Island….

 

“Kristy Finstad, 41, was helping to lead the Labor Day excursion on the Conception. Hours after the disaster, Finstad’s family had not heard from their daughter, a marine biologist who worked for the family company, Worldwide Diving Adventures….

 

“Finstad’s mother founded Worldwide Diving Adventures in 1972, and Finstad grew up with a love of the ocean and of marine life. She studied marine biology at UC Santa Cruz and held multiple jobs related to marine life and the ocean, including performing research dives for the Australian Institute of Marine Science and writing a restoration guidebook for the California Coastal Commission….

 

“The boat departed from its base in Santa Barbara Harbor on Saturday morning and was scheduled for a three-day trip.

 

“Truth Aquatics, the company that owns Conception, is a respected name in the diving world, running several boats off the Channel Islands. Owner Glen Fritzler won the California Scuba Service Award earlier this year for his pioneering work in the industry. According to California Diving News, Fritzler built the Conception in 1981 and it was a major part of his life and business. “Conception was California’s crown jewel of live-aboard dive boats….” Diving News reported.

 

“Fritzler told the paper his firm’s boats have hosted more than 450,000 divers and more than 1 million dives….

 

“Before any guest begins a dive, Rausch said, the ship’s first captain completes an extensive safety briefing that covers the location of life jackets, deploying life boats, and the location of two bunk room exits, a ladder at the bow end and an escape hatch toward the stern. The briefing also discusses the alarms on board, as well as underwater alarms and notes the location of fire extinguishers. The safety briefing, Rausch said, is done within the galley at the site of the escape hatch, a roughly two-feet by two-feet square plank of wood with no lock or latch on it. Below, the rows of bunks hold a maximum of 46 people, some in single or double beds stacked in threes….” (Los Angeles Times (Dakota Smith, Brittny Mejia, Louis Sahagun, Laura J. Nelson). “California boat fire: 8 dead, at least 26 missing as officials prepare for the worst.” 9-2-2019.)

 

Sep 2: “….Dive teams were working to recover those bodies, as well as others that may be inside the boat, which was upside down at the bottom of the sea, in about 62 feet of water, authorities said. Those on board were thought to be sleeping below deck when the fire broke out in the predawn hours.

 

“‘Mayday, mayday, mayday! Conception … north side of Santa Cruz,’ a man called in at about 3:15 a.m., his words broken up by static.

 

“A Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach dispatcher asked the vessel’s position and the number of people on board…‘I can’t breathe!’ the man said, his words cutting in and out.

 

“‘You have 29 persons on board and you can’t breathe? What is your current GPS position?’ the dispatcher asked.

 

“There is a cacophony of noise and static. The man goes silent, and the dispatcher tries getting him to speak again and nearby boats rush toward the area. Then, a man can be heard: ‘Vessel Conception! Vessel Conception! Vessel Conception! … Reporting a vessel on fire.’

 

“Dispatch: ‘…Your vessel is on fire? Is that correct? … Are you on board the Conception?’

 

“Man: ‘Roger, there’s 33 people on board the vessel that’s on fire. They can’t get off.’

 

“Dispatch: ‘Roger, are they locked inside the boat? Roger, can you get back on board and unlock the boat, unlock the door so they can get off? Roger, you don’t have any firefighting gear at all, no fire extinguishers or anything? …’

 

“Dispatch: ‘Is this the captain of the Conception?’ Man: ‘Roger.’

 

“Dispatch: ‘Was that all the crew that jumped off?’ Man: ‘Roger.’

 

“Dispatch: ‘Is the vessel fully engulfed now?’ Man: ‘Roger, and there’s no escape hatch for any of the people on board.’

 

“Five crew members already were awake and jumped off the boat, which was 20 yards offshore of the north side of Santa Cruz Island, according to Coast Guard Capt. Monica Rochester….

 

“The dispatcher put out a request: ‘Platts Harbor. The Coast Guard has received a report of the vessel Conception on fire. … All mariners are requested to keep a sharp lookout. Assist if possible. Report any signs to the U.S. Coast Guard.’” (Los Angeles Times/Hailey Branson-Potts. “ ‘I can’t breathe…there’s no escape hatch’: Dramatic mayday call from California boat on fire.” 9-2-2019.)

 

Sep 2: “According to US Coast Guard Lt. Commander Stephen Brickey, these are the latest numbers on the boat fire investigation:

 

  • 39 total people were on board, 33 were passengers and 6 were crew members
  • 5 of the 6 crew members were rescued
  • 4 bodies have been recovered
  • An additional 4 bodies are visible on the ocean floor near the sunken vessel
  • 26 people are still unaccounted for

 

“USCG confirms search and rescue efforts will continue through the night and at least into Tuesday morning.

 

“Sheriff Brown says it is unclear whether there was a black box on the vessel. The boat has sank and is inverted on the ocean floor in approximately 60 feet of water, according to USCG officials.” (CNN/Alexandra Meeks. “26 people are still missing from the Conception.” 9-2-2019.)

 

Sep 3: “Thirty-nine avid divers, families and crew members on board the Conception were resting after a day of diving and gourmet meals when flames engulfed the vessel in the predawn hours of Labor Day.

 

“The majority of the passengers had come from several towns in the San Francisco Bay area to dive among colorful underwater sea life for three days, said Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown.

 

“Only five people — all crew members — were found alive and the bodies of 20 people have been recovered off the coast of Santa Cruz Island. The search for survivors has been suspended after crews searched on the sea for close than 24 hours….” (CNN. “Here are the passengers, crew members on board Calif. Dive boat.” KTVZ, Bend, OR, 9-3-2019.)

 

Sep 4: “The bodies of 33 people who died in a diving boat fire off the coast of Southern California have been recovered, leaving only one still missing. The bodies of 13 additional victims were recovered Tuesday from the waters off the coast of Santa Cruz Island, where the 75-foot commercial vessel the Conception went up in flames early Monday morning, Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office Lt. Brian Olmstead said. On Monday [Sep 3] the remains of 20 people — 11 women and nine men — were found. Crews on Wednesday were searching for one more body in the 65-foot-deep waters….

 

“Five crew members, including the captain, were on the third deck of the boat when it erupted into flames, and were able to jump off the boat. They were rescued by a recreational vessel.

 

“The Conception, operated by Truth Aquatics out of Santa Barbara, was on a $665 per person Labor Day weekend diving excursion, according to a Truth Aquatics schedule. It departed Saturday morning and was due back Monday evening.

 

“The vessel was required to be inspected by the Coast Guard annually and was in full compliance with regulatory requirements…

 

“Inge Courtois, the general manager of Truth Aquatics, said the company’s diving operations were postponed until further notice. She said the five crew members who survived had no choice but to jump off the ship or else they would have died. She said the crew member who died was 26 years old and died doing what she loved.’ She said the woman, who she did not want to name, was originally hired to work in the Truth Aquatics office, but she wanted ‘badly’ to be on the water ‘so we put her on the boat.’….

 

“A team with the National Transportation Safety Board also began investigating Tuesday [Sep 3].” (NBC News. “Bodies of 33 victims of California diving boat fire recovered, one still missing.” 9-4-2019.)

 

Sep 6: “Victims in the tragic dive boat fire likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said Friday. All the passengers and one crew member had been sleeping in tight quarters beneath the deck, and all had signs of smoke inhalation. A preliminary examination shows they died before being burned….” (USA Today. “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019.)

 

Sep 6: “The owners of the California diving boat that burned during a Labor Day weekend charter… have turned to a 19th century maritime law to argue they should not have to pay any money to the families of victims. In their petition filed Thursday, attorneys for the owners Truth Aquatics Inc., Glen Fritzler and his wife, Dana, cite an 1851 statute in asking a judge to eliminate their financial liability or lower it to an amount equal to the post-fire value of the boat, or $0. The Conception…is now worthless, according to the Fritzlers’ federal court filing in the Central District of California….

 

“Robert J. Mongeluzzi, a Philadelphia-based maritime attorney who often represents families of people who died in duck boat incidents, said the petition by Conception’s owners was a predictable, if callous tactic for a vessel operator facing crippling legal payouts. ‘It is pretty heartless when not all the bodies have been recovered to file something saying their lives are worthless,’ Mongeluzzi said….

 

“None of the victims’ relatives have sued the Fritzlers or Truth Aquatics, but in court filings, the owners say they’ve received notice for legal claims….

 

“Legal experts said the owners of the Conception effectively won their first victory in the post-fire litigation by filing the petition before victims initiated court actions. Daniel Rose, a veteran New York-based maritime attorney, said if victims had filed lawsuits first in state courts, they could be eligible for significant damages. By filing the petition, Conception owners could be able to direct any future lawsuit to federal court and prevent substantial payouts. ‘It brings all the claims into one court,’ added Michael Karcher, a professor of maritime law at the University of Miami. He emphasized that the petition still faced hurdles and that it was not absolute.

 

“To win, the Fritzlers will have to show in court that their company was not to blame for the inferno. Lawyers for the victims’ families will presumably challenge the effort but will be required to show that the owners knew or should have known of the risk of harm.

 

“The law, the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851, has been used routinely by ship operators, including the owner of the Titanic. In recent years, it has been invoked by the owners in the Deep Water Horizon oil rig disaster, the sinking of the El Faro cargo ship in 2015 and duck boat deaths such as the 2018 sinking in Missouri that killed 17.

 

“Rose called it a ‘distasteful old law’ that traces to the days when the shipping industry could not obtain insurance. Now, it is those insurers — not the boat owner or operator — who push for such a strategy, since they may bankroll the defense. ‘It is certainly a tactic, but shipping owners aren’t bluffing; it is the law,’ he added.” (Los Angeles Times. “California dive boat owner asks judge to limit payouts to victims’ families.” 9-6-2019.)

 

Sep 8: “In a significant expansion of the investigation into the Labor Day boat fire that killed 34 people, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Coast Guard served warrants Sunday at the Santa Barbara headquarters of Truth Aquatics seeking training, safety and maintenance records. Agents also searched two other boats belonging to the company, including one similar to Conception, the 75-foot vessel that burned and sank early Monday morning as it was anchored off the coast of Santa Cruz Island. Truth Aquatics is a dive boat operator that offers water and scuba outings. Investigators took photos and boxes during the search, which is part of the ongoing investigation into the incident, said Lt. Eric Raney with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. No arrests were made. ‘I see it as par for the course,’ Raney said. ‘You can only do so much with your basic investigative efforts, and at some point you have to use a search warrant as the means to collect information.’….

 

“Law enforcement sources told The Times last week that a preliminary investigation into the Conception boat fire had suggested serious safety deficiencies aboard the vessel, including the lack of a “roaming night watchman” who is required to be awake and alert passengers in the event of a fire or other dangers. The probe also has raised questions about whether the crew was adequately trained and whether passengers received a complete safety briefing, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they did not have approval to comment publicly about the case.

 

“Salvage efforts to recover the dive boat are expected to resume Monday [Sep 9]. Operations were suspended Friday afternoon because of weather and safety concerns….

 

“Authorities have not suggested the fire and fatalities were the result of any criminal wrongdoing, but prosecutors from the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles were at the scene on Thursday preparing to assist investigators and keeping tabs on the unfolding inquiry….” (Los Angeles Times (Richard Winton, Matt Stiles, Mark Puente). “California boat fire probe widens as FBI and Coast Guard serve search warrants on Conception Owner.” 9-8-2019.

 

Sep 10: “….The remains of the 34th person who died in the Conception tragedy have yet to be located. The search for that person resumed on Tuesday [10th] after being suspended due to weather and safety concerns. Boat salvage operations are expected to resume on Wednesday.” (KEYT, Santa Barbara (Travis Schlepp). “Sheriff’s office names five more victims of dive boat Conception fire.” 9-10-2019.)

 

Sep 11: “Authorities say divers have found the body of the last missing victim in a fatal boat fire that killed 34 people off the Southern California coast. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office also said Wednesday on Twitter that authorities are still doing DNA testing to confirm the identities of seven of the victims….

 

“The Coast Guard has issued safety recommendations in the wake of a fatal boat fire off the Southern California coast that killed 34 people.[52] A Coast Guard bulletin says the owners and operators of vessels should immediately reduce potential fire hazards and consider limiting unsupervised charging of lithium-ion batteries and extensive use of power strips and extension cords. The bulletin also says vessels should review emergency duties with the crew, identify emergency escapes, check all firefighting and lifesaving equipment onboard, and look at the condition of passenger accommodation spaces for ‘unsafe practices or other hazardous arrangements.’ The Coast Guard is among several agencies investigating the Sept. 2 fire. A cause has yet to be determined.” (Associated Press. “Divers Find Body of Final Victim in Boat Fire That Killed 34 People.” KTLA, Los Angeles, 9-11-2019.)

 

Sep 13: “The surfacing of Conception comes 10 days after the massive fire broke out, killing nearly everyone on board….The Coast guard and a salvage crew worked together on Thursday to lift what was left of the 75-foot Conception boat out of the deep waters off Santa Cruz Island, where the deadly fire broke out nearly two weeks ago.

 

“The Los Angeles Times reported that the Conception will be transported to a naval facility, where its power, fuel, and electrical systems will be examined by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigators….

 

“During the press conference, Brown also confirmed that all 34 victims from the deadly fire have been identified and their family members have been notified….The sheriff said 33 of those victims were identified through DNA comparisons while the final victim was identified through fingerprints, with DNA confirmation pending arrival of a familial DNA sample from overseas.

 

“In addition to the boat surfacing and victim confirmation on Thursday, the National Transportation Safety Board released a report confirming that the five surviving crew members were asleep behind the wheelhouse on the boat’s uppermost sun deck, while one crew member slept alongside the 33 passengers in the bunk room on the lower deck….

 

“The National Transportation Safety Board said investigators are looking at documents from recent inspections and have also visited a boat similar in shape and size to the Conception to potentially determine a cause of the fire. The report confirmed that there were two smoke detectors in the bunkroom where the passengers were sleeping.” (People. “Charred Wreckage of Dive Boat Raised to the Surface as Authorities Officially Identify All Victims.” 9-13-2019.)

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “Divers Find Body of Final Victim in Boat Fire That Killed 34 People.” KTLA, Los Angeles, 9-11-2019. Accessed 9-11-2019 at: https://ktla.com/2019/09/11/divers-resume-search-for-final-missing-victim-of-boat-fire-that-killed-34-people-off-santa-cruz-island/

 

BuzzFeed.News (Briana Sacks). “A Family of Five Are Among Those Presumed Dead in the California Diving Boat Fire.” 9-3-2019. Accessed 9-3-2019 at: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/briannasacks/a-family-of-five-are-among-those-presumed-dead-in-the

 

Cain, Josh (Los Angeles Daily News). “Placentia business owner, former water polo coach among Conception dive boat fire victims.” Pasadena Star-News, 9-5-2019. Accessed 9-5-2019 at: https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2019/09/05/placentia-business-owner-former-water-polo-coach-among-conception-victims/

 

CNN (Alexandra Meeks). “26 people are still missing from the Conception.” 9-2-2019. Accessed 9-2-2019 at: https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/california-boat-fire/index.html

 

CNN (Mike Hayes, Fernando Alfonso III and Amanda Wills). “At least 8 dead in boat fire off California coast.” 9-2-2019. Accessed 9-2-2019 at: https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/california-boat-fire/index.html

 

CNN (Nicole Chavez, Stephanie Elam and Jason Kravarik). “Here are the passengers, crew members on board Calif. Dive boat.” KTVZ, Bend, OR, 9-3-2019. Accessed 9-3-2019 at: https://www.ktvz.com/news/national-world/here-are-the-passengers-crew-members-on-board-calif-dive-boat/1116716402

 

Gofundme. “Memorial Fund for Berenice Felipe.” 9-5-2019. Accessed 9-14-2019 at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/assistance-for-yadira-alvarez

 

Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “Body of Jewish victim of Santa Barbara boat fire returned to New Jersey for burial.” 9-9-2019. Accessed 9-9-2019 at: https://www.jta.org/quick-reads

 

KEYT, Santa Barbara (Travis Schlepp). “Sheriff’s office names five more victims of dive boat Conception fire.” 9-10-2019. Accessed 9-10-2019 at: https://www.keyt.com/news/santa-barbara-s-county/sheriff-s-office-names-five-more-victims-of-dive-boat-conception-fire/1119242089

 

LAist.com. “Conception Boat Fire: Here’s What We Know About The 34 Victims.” 9-4-2019. Accessed 9-4-2019 at: https://laist.com/2019/09/04/victims_conception_dive_boat_fire_santa_cruz_island.php

 

Los Angeles Times (Dakota Smith, Brittny Mejia, Louis Sahagun, Laura J. Nelson). “California boat fire: 8 dead, at least 26 missing as officials prepare for the worst.” 9-2-2019. Accessed 9-2-2019 at: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-02/massive-rescue-operation-after-dozens-trapped-in-boat-fire-off-santa-barbara

 

Los Angeles Times (Richard Winton, Matt Stiles, Mark Puente). “California boat fire probe widens as FBI and Coast Guard serve search warrants on Conception Owner.” 9-8-2019. Accessed 9-8-2019 at: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-08/california-boat-fire-investigators-search-warrants-conception-owner-truth-aquatics

 

Los Angeles Times (Laura J. Nelson and Colleen Shalby). “California boat five victims: United by a love for ocean, taken in tragedy. These are their stories.” 9-8-2019. Accessed 9-8-2019 at: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-04/california-conception-dive-boat-fire-victims

 

Los Angeles Times (Richard Winton, Matt Hamilton, Leila Miller, Mark Puente). “California dive boat owner asks judge to limit payouts to victims’ families.” 9-6-2019. Accessed 9-6-2019 at: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-05/california-boat-fire-lawsuit-damages-court-filing

 

Los Angeles Times (Hailey Branson-Potts). “ ‘I can’t breathe…there’s no escape hatch’: Dramatic mayday call from California boat on fire.” 9-2-2019. Accessed 9-2-2019 at: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-02/i-cant-breathe-mayday-call-california-boat-fire

 

Los Angeles Times (Laura J. Nelson). “Victims of the California boat fire: Who they were.” 9-4-2019. Accessed 9-4-2019 at: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-04/california-conception-dive-boat-fire-victims

 

National Transportation Safety Board. Preliminary Report: Marine DCA19MM047. 9-12-2019. Accessed 9-14-2019 at: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/accidentreports/pages/DCA19MM047-preliminary-report.aspx

 

NBC News (Elisha Fieldstadt). “Bodies of 33 victims of California diving boat fire recovered, one still missing.” 9-4-2019. Accessed 9-4-2019 at: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/bodies-33-victims-california-diving-boat-fire-recovered-one-still-n1049571

 

Patch.com, Santa Cruz (Toni McAllister). “With ‘Heavy Heart,’ All Victims of California Boat Fire Named.” 9-13-2019. Accessed 9-14-2019 at: https://patch.com/california/santacruz/heavy-heart-all-victims-california-boat-fire-named

 

People (Joelle Goldstein). “Charred Wreckage of Dive Boat Raised to the Surface as Authorities Officially Identify All Victims.” 9-13-2019. Accessed 9-14-2019 at: https://people.com/human-interest/charred-california-dive-boat-brought-to-surface-all-victims-identified/

 

People (Caitlin Keating, Susan Young, Joelle Goldstein, Johnny Dodd, Maria Pasquini, Susan Keating). “Here Are All 34 Victims of the Calif. Boat Fire.” 9-13-2019. Accessed 9-14-2019 at: https://people.com/human-interest/california-boat-fire-victims/

 

People (Caitlin Keating, Susan Young, Joelle Goldstein, Johnny Dodd, Maria Pasquini, Susan Keating). “Nationwide Heartbreak: Remembering the 34 Victims of the California Boat Fire.” 9-8-2019. Accessed 9-8-2019 at: https://people.com/human-interest/california-boat-fire-victims/

 

People (Rachel DeSantis). “NTSB Preliminary Report Says All Crew Members Were Sleeping When California Boat Fire Broke Out.” 9-12-2019. Accessed 9-14-2019 at: https://people.com/human-interest/crew-members-sleeping-california-boat-fire-preliminary-report/

 

Santa Monica Observer, CA. “Santa Monica Residents Charles McIlvain, 44, and Marybeth Guiney, 32, Among Diving Boat Fire Deaths.” 9-4-2019. Accessed 9-4-2019 at: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2019/09/04/news/santa-monica-residents-charles-mcilvain-34-and-marybeth-guiney-32-among-diving-boat-fire-deaths/4183.html

 

SFGate (Amy Graff). “Apple confirms two employees among dead in dive boat fire.” 9-4-2019. Accessed 9-4-2019 at: https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Apple-employees-boat-fire-Steve-Salika-14413320.php

 

SFGate (Amy Graff). “Four more Northern Californians named as victims in Conception dive boat fire.” 9-5-2019. Accessed 9-5-2019 at: https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/dive-boat-victims-Northern-California-Bay-Area-14416686.php

 

Truth Aquatics, Santa Barbara, CA. Conception. Accessed 9-5-2019. Accessed 9-5-2019 at: https://www.truthaquatics.com/conception/

 

USA Today (Grace Hauck and Olivia Sanchez). “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019. Accessed 9-6-2019 at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/09/06/california-dive-boat-fire-conception-victims-identified/2233466001/

 

U.S. Coast Guard. Marine Safety Information Bulletin 008-19, “Passenger vessel compliance and operational readiness,” 9-10-2019. Accessed 9-11-2019 at: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/MSIB/2019/MSIB_008_19.pdf?ver=2019-09-10-115632-287

[1] Patch.com, Santa Cruz. “With ‘Heavy Heart,’ All Victims of California Boat Fire Named.” 9-13-2019.

[2] SFGate (Amy Graff). “Apple confirms two employees among dead in dive boat fire.” 9-4-2019; USA Today. “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019.

[3] People. “Here Are All 34 Victims of the Calif. Boat Fire.” 9-13-2019.

[4] Los Angeles Times (Laura J. Nelson). “Victims of the California boat fire: Who they were.” 9-4-2019; USA Today. “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019.

[5] Los Angeles Times (Laura J. Nelson). “Victims of the California boat fire: Who they were.” 9-4-2019; USA Today. “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019.

[6] Los Angeles Times has name as Vaidehi Williams. (Los Angeles Times, Laura J. Nelson and Colleen Shalby. “California boat five victims: United by a love for ocean, taken in tragedy. These are their stories.” 9-8-2019.)

[7] USA Today. “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019.

[8] People. “Nationwide Heartbreak: Remembering the 34 Victims of the California Boat Fire.” 9-8-2019.

[9] Los Angeles Times (Laura J. Nelson). “Victims of the California boat fire: Who they were.” 9-4-2019.

[10] BuzzFeed. “A Family of Five Are Among Those Presumed Dead in the California Diving Boat Fire.” 9-3-2019.

[11] Age from: People. “Here Are All 34 Victims of the Calif. Boat Fire.” 9-13-2019.

[12] Patch.com, Santa Cruz. “With ‘Heavy Heart,’ All Victims of California Boat Fire Named.” 9-13-2019.

[13] People. “Nationwide Heartbreak: Remembering the 34 Victims of the California Boat Fire.” 9-8-2019.

[14] Josh Cain (Los Angeles Daily News). “Placentia business owner, former water polo coach among Conception dive boat fire victims.” Pasadena Star-News, 9-5-2019. Notes information in article was from BFES.

[15] One source has name as Berenice Felipe Alvarez. (People. “Nationwide Heartbreak: Remembering the 34 Victims of the California Boat Fire.” 9-8-2019.)

[16] Los Angeles Times (Laura J. Nelson). “Victims of the California boat fire: Who they were.” 9-4-2019; Gofundme. “Memorial Fund for Berenice Felipe.” 9-5-2019.

[17] Los Angeles Times (Laura J. Nelson). “Victims of the California boat fire: Who they were.” 9-4-2019.

[18] “A marine biologist who grew up swimming off the state’s Channel Islands and the owner of a Santa Cruz-based diving company was on board the Conception…[she] was leading a dive trip on the vessel…[was] the owner of Worldwide Diving Adventures, a local company that chartered the Conception dive boat from Truth Aquatics, business records show.” (CNN. “Here are the passengers, crew members on board Calif. Dive boat.” 9-3-2019.)

[19] SFGate/Amy Graff. “Four more Northern Californians named as victims in Conception dive boat fire.” 9-5-2019.

[20] SFGate/Amy Graff. “Four more Northern Californians named as victims in Conception dive boat fire.” 9-5-2019.

[21] Los Angeles Times (Laura J. Nelson). “Victims of the California boat fire: Who they were.” 9-4-2019.

[22] Santa Monica Observer, CA. “Santa Monica Residents Charles McIlvain, 44, and Marybeth Guiney, 32, Among Diving Boat Fire Deaths.” 9-4-2019.

[23] People. “Here Are All 34 Victims of the Calif. Boat Fire.” 9-13-2019.

[24] “….the galley cook and deckhand on the Conception…The…father of a daughter was typically making breakfast for the passengers on the ship around 4 am, James Kohls told reporters Monday as he waited for news of his brother. (CNN. “Here are the passengers, crew members on board Calif. Dive boat.” 9-3-2019.)

[25] See, for example: Patch.com, Santa Cruz (Toni McAllister). “With ‘Heavy Heart,’ All Victims of California Boat Fire Named.” 9-13-2019.

[26] Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “Body of Jewish victim of…boat fire returned to New Jersey for burial.” 9-9-2019.

[27] BuzzFeed. “A Family of Five Are Among Those Presumed Dead in the California Diving Boat Fire.” 9-3-2019.

[28] Los Angeles Times (Laura J. Nelson). “Victims of the California boat fire: Who they were.” 9-4-2019; NBC Los Angeles (J. Lloyd). “Only Conception Crew Member Killed in Fire Dreamed of Working on the Water.” 9-5-2019; Patch.com, Santa Cruz. “With ‘Heavy Heart,’ All Victims of California Boat Fire Named.” 9-13-2019.

[29] Patch.com, Santa Cruz. “With ‘Heavy Heart,’ All Victims of California Boat Fire Named.” 9-13-2019.

[30] People. “Here Are All 34 Victims of the Calif. Boat Fire.” 9-13-2019.

[31] Patch.com, Santa Cruz. “With ‘Heavy Heart,’ All Victims of California Boat Fire Named.” 9-13-2019.

[32] Santa Monica Observer, CA. “Santa Monica Residents Charles McIlvain, 44, and Marybeth Guiney, 32, Among Diving Boat Fire Deaths.” 9-4-2019.

[33] SFGate/Amy Graff. “Four more Northern Californians named as victims in Conception dive boat fire.” 9-5-2019.

[34] Patch.com, Santa Cruz. “With ‘Heavy Heart,’ All Victims of California Boat Fire Named.” 9-13-2019.

[35] People. “Nationwide Heartbreak: Remembering the 34 Victims of the California Boat Fire.” 9-8-2019; People. “Here Are All 34 Victims of the Calif. Boat Fire.” 9-13-2019.

[36] Taught seventh-grade science at Sierra Middle School in Stockton, CA. (BuzzFeed. “A Family of Five Are Among Those Presumed Dead in the California Diving Boat Fire.” 9-3-2019.) Also: USA Today. “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019.

[37] A nurse at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton. (BuzzFeed. “A Family of Five Are Among Those Presumed Dead in the California Diving Boat Fire.” 9-3-2019.)

[38] Los Angeles Times (Laura J. Nelson). “Victims of the California boat fire: Who they were.” 9-4-2019; People. “Here Are All 34 Victims of the Calif. Boat Fire.” 9-13-2019; Patch.com, Santa Cruz. “With ‘Heavy Heart,’ All Victims of California Boat Fire Named.” 9-13-2019.

[39] Worked at Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Central Valley. (BuzzFeed. “A Family of Five Are Among Those Presumed Dead in the California Diving Boat Fire.” 9-3-2019.) Also: USA Today. “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019.

[40] Sports bar employee in Coronado. (BuzzFeed. “A Family of Five Are Among Those Presumed Dead in the California Diving Boat Fire.” 9-3-2019.) Also: USA Today. “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019.

[41] SFGate (Amy Graff). “Apple confirms two employees among dead in dive boat fire.” 9-4-2019; USA Today. “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019.

[42] Los Angeles Times (Laura J. Nelson). “Victims of the California boat fire: Who they were.” 9-4-2019; USA Today. “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019.

[43] Patch.com, Santa Cruz. “With ‘Heavy Heart,’ All Victims of California Boat Fire Named.” 9-13-2019.

[44] People. “Nationwide Heartbreak: Remembering the 34 Victims of the California Boat Fire.” 9-8-2019.

[45] Worked at Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Central Valley. (BuzzFeed. “A Family of Five Are Among Those Presumed Dead in the California Diving Boat Fire.” 9-3-2019.) Source for age is: KEYT, Santa Barbara (Travis Schlepp). “Sheriff’s office names five more victims of dive boat Conception fire.” 9-10-2019.

[46] USA Today. “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019.

[47] People. “Nationwide Heartbreak: Remembering the 34 Victims of the California Boat Fire.” 9-8-2019.

[48] SFGate/Amy Graff. “Four more Northern Californians named as victims in Conception dive boat fire.” 9-5-2019. Age and city from: KEYT, Santa Barbara (Travis Schlepp). “Sheriff’s office names five more victims of dive boat Conception fire.” 9-10-2019.

[49] USA Today. “California boat fire: Authorities say victims likely died of smoke inhalation, not burns.” 9-6-2019.

[50] People. “Nationwide Heartbreak: Remembering the 34 Victims of the California Boat Fire.” 9-8-2019.

[51] Seventy-five feet long. (CNN. “At least 8 dead in boat fire off California coast.” 9-2-2019.) Built in 1981 in Long Beach with a bunk capacity of 46 people (13 double bunks, 20 single). (Truth Aquatics, Santa Barbara, CA. Conception. Accessed 9-5-2019.)

[52] U.S. Coast Guard. Marine Safety Information Bulletin 008-19, “Passenger vessel compliance and operational readiness,” 9-10-2019. (See Sources section below for URL.)