Were NTSB’s vessel fire recommendations overlooked?

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA—Federal officials are still trying to determine what caused Conception, a 75-foot dive boat, to become fully engulfed in flames during the early morning hours of Labor Day, which was on Sept. 2. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reportedly made several safety recommendations during the past 20 or so years, specifically to prevent fires aboard vessels similar to Conception – but those recommendations were overlooked by the U.S. Coast Guard, the only authority authorized to mandate protective requirements, according to an investigative report published by the Los Angeles Times. The dive boat, while anchored near Santa Cruz Island, caught fire just after 3 a.m. on Labor Day Monday and claimed the lives of 34 people. The Times reported it reviewed nearly 20 years worth of federal documents and discovered the U.S. Coast Guard failed to implement several NTSB safety recommendations. Safety issues uncovered by the NTSB – but not addressed by the Coast Guard, according to the Times – were an electrical malfunction, poorly maintained fuel line and failed cooling pump. These issues had caused fires aboard vessels in the past, according to the Times report. Preventative maintenance and crew member fire training were also contributing factors to various fires, the...