Sinking of MV Conception

2019 maritime disaster

On September 2, 2019, the 75-foot (23 m) diving boat Conception caught fire and sank off the coast of Santa Cruz Island, California.

Sinking of MV Conception
DateSeptember 2, 2019
TimeApproximately 3:00 a.m. PDT UTC−07:00
LocationPlatts Harbor, Santa Cruz Island, California, United States
Coordinates34°02′51″N 119°44′06″W / 34.04750°N 119.73500°W / 34.04750; -119.73500
CauseFire
Outcome(See Aftermath section)
Deaths34
Non-fatal injuries5
MV Conception is located in USA California Channel Islands
MV Conception
MV Conception
Map of the Channel Islands, California with sinking site marked in red.
MV Conception is located in California
MV Conception
MV Conception
MV Conception (California)

The boat was anchored in Platts Harbor, a small undeveloped bay on the north shore of the island, with over 30 passengers asleep below decks when fire broke out shortly after 3 am. The loss of the ship caused a rescue operation by the United States Coast Guard.[1][2]

Coast Guard divers counted 25 bodies in the sunken hull, while nine other people remain missing.[3]

References

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  1. Dowd, Katie; SFGATE (September 2, 2019). "What we know about the Santa Cruz Island boat fire disaster". SFGate. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  2. "4 Bodies Recovered Near Santa Cruz Island Where Dive Boat Burned; at Least 29 Still Missing: USCG". KTLA. September 2, 2019. Archived from the original on December 3, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  3. "Coast Guard: 25 bodies found after California boat fire". Associated Press. September 2, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2019.