THE CONCEPTION shortly before it sank. The 75-foot recreational diving vessel, Conception, with 33 passengers and six crew aboard, was anchored in Platts Harbor off Santa Cruz Island when it caught fire in the early morning of Sept. 2, 2019. All 33 passengers and one crewmember died of smoke inhalation after they were trapped in the berthing area while a fire raged on the deck above. Both exits from the berthing area led to the fire and smoke-filled enclosed area above. PHOTO COURTESY Ventura County Fire Department)
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BY MERIT MCCRAE
This past week Jerry Boylan was sentenced to 4 years in prison followed by 3 years supervised release for his part in the fire aboard the dive boat Conception out of Santa Barbara. I remember I was still writing to meet the Monday morning deadline in the wee hours when the first news of the fire that would kill 34 people arrived.
With a narrow peak at the ocean through my window, the view looks right back into Platt Harbor where the tragedy was still unfolding. But that morning the fog was thick. First on scene were harbor patrol vessels from Santa Barbara, I understand.
Early audio recordings told a completely different story than the initial news told. While the first days following had the story all wrong, in the following weeks it would gradually come to match the situation that had indeed unfolded. Yet today the narrative is once again warping toward what is easiest for the public to believe.
merit@wonews.com.
