Crew Asleep During Deadly California Boat Fire: Report

SANTA BARBARA, CA — All six crewmembers were asleep when a fire sparked aboard a scuba diving boat off the coast of Southern California, killing 34 people, according to a preliminary report released Thursday, Sept. 12, by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The blaze that broke out shortly after 3 a.m. on Sept. 2 left 33 passengers and one crewmember dead on the 75-foot commercial diving boat Conception as it was anchored off Santa Cruz Island southwest of Santa Barbara during a three-day diving trip over Labor Day weekend.

Investigators found that five crewmembers were asleep in berths behind the boat's wheelhouse on the top level of the three-level vessel, and one was asleep in the passenger berthing area within the hull, according to the preliminary report. One of the crewmembers woke up and spotted the fire rising from the salon level below. He alerted the rest of the crew behind the wheelhouse, and the captain alerted the U.S. Coast Guard.

The crewmembers tried to get to the area where the passengers were sleeping but were overwhelmed by smoke and had to jump overboard, according to the report. Two crewmembers and the captain swam to another area of the boat, got back on and opened the hatch to the engine room, but did not see a fire.

The crew launched a small skiff and eventually evacuated aboard a good Samaritan pleasure craft named Grape Escape, according to the report.

The National Transportation Safety Board's two-page preliminary report was released a day after divers recovered the remains of the last missing victim.

As of Tuesday, Sept. 10, 27 of the 34 people who died have been identified and their families have been notified, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. The Santa Barbara County Coroner's Office is working to identify the remaining victims whose names have not been released.

The Coast Guard, FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles are conducting a criminal investigation.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

Related:

• California Boat Fire: 34 Presumed Dead, Rescue Suspended
• More IDs Made In California Boat Fire: Safety Concerns Raised

Bay City News contributed to this report.