As
the anniversary of California’s deadliest maritime disaster in modern
history nears, the National Transportation Safety Board announced it
will hold a hearing in October to reveal the results of its
investigation into the Conception dive boat fire that killed 34 people
off Santa Cruz Island.
A preliminary NTSB investigation concluded
that five members of the crew were asleep in the wheelhouse and that
there was no roving watch on the vessel operated by Santa Barbara-based
Truth Aquatics as required by the U.S. Coast Guard during the hours when
passengers were asleep below deck.
But the more extensive
examination of the origins, cause and events leading up to the
Conception being burned to the waterline has taken months of
investigation led by NTSB board member Jennifer Homendy. The board will
vote on findings, probable cause and recommendations for changes to
small passenger vessels to avoid a repeat of what its chairman called a
“horrible, horrible tragedy.”
“We have substantially completed our investigation,” said Eric Weiss, an NTSB spokesman. Weiss said that in the coming weeks NTSB staff will make public interviews, research and other investigative materials before the public hearing.