Fire Aboard Small Passenger Vessel Conception

​The National Transportation Safety Board met on Oct. 20, 2020, at 1:00 p.m., to consider the agency’s investigation of the fatal, Sept. 2, 2019, fire aboard the dive boat Conception off Santa Cruz Island, California.

The 75-foot commercial diving vessel, with 33 passengers and six crew aboard, was anchored in Platts Harbor off Santa Cruz Island when it caught fire. One crewmember and 33 passengers died in the accident.
The NTSB’s five-member board voted on the findings, probable cause and recommendations as well as any changes to the draft final report.
In keeping with established Federal and local social distancing guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, while also ensuring the NTSB’s compliance with the Government in the Sunshine Act, the board meeting for this investigation will be webcast to the public, with the board members and investigative staff meeting virtually. There will be no physical gathering to facilitate the board meeting.
WHO:  NTSB investigative staff and board members.
WHAT:  A webcast of a virtual board meeting.
WHEN:  Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020, 1:00 p.m. (EDT).
HOW:  The board meeting will be webcast only, there will not be a public gathering of NTSB investigative staff or board members. A link to the webcast will be available shortly before the start of the meeting at http://ntsb.windrosemedia.com/.
MEDIA AVAILABILITY:  NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt is scheduled to hold a virtual media briefing at 5 p.m. (EDT) to answer questions about the earlier board meeting and the NTSB’s investigation of the accident.
The virtual media briefing with Chairman Sumwalt will be conducted using Microsoft Teams Live Event. Journalists who RSVP to [email protected] will receive an email with the attendee link and information about how the briefing will be conducted. A recording of the briefing will be made available on the NTSB’s YouTube channel as soon as practicable.

Presentations

Webcast

NTSB public events are also streamed via live webcast. Webcasts are archived for a period of 3 months from the date of the meeting. Webcast archives are generally available by the end of the event day for public meetings, and by the end of the next day for technical conferences.
If you wish to obtain a copy of an NTSB meeting, please contact the NTSB Records Management Division at (202) 314-6551,  or 800-877-6799. You may also request this information from the NTSB website,  or write to the following: National Transportation Safety Board, Records Management Division (CIO-40), 490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC 20594.

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