September 3, 2019 - Washington - Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) released the following statement on the deadly boat fire off Santa Cruz Island near Ventura, Calif.:

“It’s inconceivable that with all the safety regulations we have in place today, a fire on a boat can lead to the loss of life we saw this morning near Santa Cruz Island.

“We need an immediate and robust interagency investigation. The Coast Guard, along with officials from Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, are already hard at work. Once personnel from the NTSB and FBI join the effort tomorrow, we must learn as much as possible about how this happened and how future tragedies can be prevented.

“We need to know whether all applicable safety regulations were being followed and whether additional regulations need to be applied, particularly regulations concerning boats that accommodate overnight passengers.

“We must know what fire-suppression systems and other emergency equipment are in place on these boats and whether they were in working order on the Conception.

“And we need to understand exactly how the crew was trained and, if they were awake and above-deck, why they were unable to alert or help rescue passengers.

“A tragedy of this nature is simply unimaginable, and my thoughts and prayers are with the families of those involved. My thanks to the Coast Guard and local first responders for their diligence. Hopefully the lessons learned from this disaster will ensure that no more lives are needlessly lost.”
Source: Senator Dianne Feinstein

Conception Dive Boat Tragedy

September 2, 2019 - At approximately 3:30 a.m., Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard and partnering agencies responded to a vessel fire off the north shore of Santa Cruz Island near Platt’s Harbor in Santa Barbara County. 

Emergency responders encountered “Conception”, a 75-foot commercial diving boat based out of the Santa Barbara Harbor, fully engulfed in fire. The vessel sank to the ocean floor at approximately 7:20 a.m. 

Five of the 39 passengers were rescued and a total of 4 bodies have been recovered. An additional 4 unidentified victims located on the ocean floor have not yet been recovered. Emergency crews remain on scene as a total of 26 passengers remain unaccounted for. 

Unified command is established between Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Barbara County Fire, United States Coast Guard and National Park Service. A one-mile safety zone has been established around the incident as search and rescue efforts continue. Additionally, a 3,000 foot temporary flight restriction has been established around the vessel. The cause of the incident is under investigation and names are being withheld pending notification of kin. 
Source: NPS

A Family Assistance Center (FAC) has been established at the Earl Warren Showgrounds located at 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, 93105. The FAC will be open until 9 p.m. tonight and will reopen tomorrow, September 3rd at 9 a.m. We request that the public and media respect the privacy of this space for the families of those involved.  

Family members may call the County’s Call Center at 833-688-5551 for more information. The public can call 2-1-1 or if outside of the 805 area code, call toll free (800) 400-1572.
Source: NPS