Conception Tragedy Leads to New Safety Rules

The U.S. Coast Guard has announced new fire safety rules for small boats more than two years after the fire aboard the California liveaboard dive boat Conception killed 33 divers and one crew member.

The rules go into effect on March 28 and require boat operators to install fire detection systems and extinguishers, ensure proper escape routes are available, develop procedures for handling potentially dangerous items such as rechargeable batteries, and install a monitoring device to ensure the night watchman stays awake, among other requirements.

They come in response to the 2019 Labor Day fatal Conception fire off the Channel Islands, which exposed serious flaws in U.S. boat safety. In December 2020, Congress mandated that the Coast Guard review its regulations for small passenger vessels with overnight accommodations, excluding fishing boats and ferries.

"It is a good thing for safety, and I think it will help save lives, and that is what all the families want here," said Maggie Strom of Memphis, TN, whose husband, Ted Strom, died on the Conception.

In the wake of the Conception tragedy, the victims' families banded together to help push forward reforms they believed would avoid a repeat. The group Advocacy 34 has continued to push for changes.

A Los Angeles Times investigation revealed that the Coast Guard exempted the dive boat and other older vessels from stricter safety rules designed to make it easier for passengers to escape.

The families of the deceased are suing the Conception owners, the Coast Guard, and other parties.

This article, by Richard Winston, appeared in the Los Angeles Times on January 6. Undercurrent takes all responsibility for any editing errors.