# Scuba Charter Disaster in California: over 30 feared dead.\[Sept.2019\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 2, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592 "2019-09-02T16:57:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/61 "2019-09-03T15:19:23Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > She was there. Our little town is in mourning. Was it Kristi? I didn’t know her but a number of my friends did. She was incredibly well liked and respected. Santa Barbara mourns her too. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/62 "2019-09-03T15:47:24Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > She was there. Our little town is in mourning. So sorry, Qadgop. I hope we find out what exactly went wrong soon. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/63 "2019-09-03T16:07:50Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Does anyone here know if levels could have built up to a point where the people below deck may have been asphyxiated, or at least unconscious, before the explosion? I guess the autopsies would tell us that. Unfortunately, propane is much heavier than air, as opposed to natural gas which is lighter. A leak could have filled the berth under the galley with propane for an indefinite period before there was a source of ignition. If this was the case, and they weren’t killed by the initial explosion, they would have asphyxiated from the lack of oxygen and/or respiratory distress. It is highly unlikely anybody could have helped them at all. A very sad tragic event for all involved. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/64 "2019-09-03T16:21:19Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Shit. I went on a day trip to Santa Cruz island on the Conception’s sister vessel, the Truth, about a month and a half ago. > [@hajario](#): > > This is right off the the coast where I live. > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > When I was diving in SoCal 30 years ago, I dove off of _Conception_ once or twice. > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > It appears our neighbor’s daughter is one of the missing. Small world. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/65 "2019-09-03T17:03:37Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Was it Kristi? I didn’t know her but a number of my friends did. She was incredibly well liked and respected. Santa Barbara mourns her too. Yeah. She was an impressive woman, told amazing stories of her adventures, and showed us a wonderful photo documentary of her sailing trip to Tahiti and beyond. My wife visited her mom this morning. Rough time in the neighborhood. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/66 "2019-09-03T17:51:55Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Dumb question, but it looks like Santa Cruz Island is an hour or two from the mainland, so why have people spend the night on-board, rather than returning to shore and sleeping there? In addition to the extra time and fuel needed for transit, it’s fun to stay in a group on a boat, and if there are any non-locals on the trip, Santa Barbara hotels are _expensive_. What a tragedy. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/67 "2019-09-03T17:55:14Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > In addition to the extra time and fuel needed for transit, it’s fun to stay in a group on a boat, and if there are any non-locals on the trip, Santa Barbara hotels are _expensive_. > > What a tragedy. It is. I heard on the news that three of the people on board were celebrating birthdays. All the more reason to stay on board and celebrate together. A shame it ended in such sorrow. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/68 "2019-09-03T17:57:54Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Yeah. She was an impressive woman, told amazing stories of her adventures, and showed us a wonderful photo documentary of her sailing trip to Tahiti and beyond. > > My wife visited her mom this morning. Rough time in the neighborhood. ☹ From what I have read, she and her husband owned that boat along with two other boats. Her father started the company. Worldwide Diving Adventures had an impeccable reputation in town with probably tens of thousands of charters over the decades. They were very loved. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/69 "2019-09-03T18:20:38Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > My FB feed is abuzz with stories and rumors at this point. > [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > Ugh, this breaks my heart. > > These boats are well known in the community, and everyone is freaking out. > [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > In addition to the extra time and fuel needed for transit, it’s fun to stay in a group on a boat, and if there are any non-locals on the trip, Santa Barbara hotels are _expensive_. It looks like the whole active Santa Barbara crew has checked in. It’s a dark mood around town today. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/70 "2019-09-03T18:58:16Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > From what I have read, she and her husband owned that boat along with two other boats. Her father started the company. Worldwide Diving Adventures had an impeccable reputation in town with probably tens of thousands of charters over the decades. They were very loved. AIUI, they owned the tour/guide company, she took it over from her father when he passed away. They worked closely with the company that owned that boat and others, to arrange for the tours. But my understanding may be incomplete. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/71 "2019-09-03T19:54:51Z")
Wow, to those pointing fingers and assuming blame… Being below deck is a BIG FUCKING DEAL and a BIG FUCKING DIFFERENCE. People got trapped down there or died down there for the same reason nobody could magically get down there from above deck and be some sort of movie hero. FIRE HOT. So hot it’ll make you jump to your fucking death rather than being cooked alive as you feel your eyeballs melt down your face, if you can get over your throat, lungs and face incinerating, as you wish you could jump to your death. This was real life – not some movie where heroes rush into the fire to save people. Vile to imagine what happened and then condemn people. Idiots. . ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/72 "2019-09-03T19:59:21Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Was it Kristi? As I said, I haven’t been on that boat in 30 years; so I didn’t know her. But I did just read [this](https://news.yahoo.com/officials-dozens-die-worst-case-055131037.html): > [@](#): > > One passenger, marine biologist and veteran diver Kristy Finstad, 41, was identified in a Facebook post by her brother, Brett Harmeling of Houston. > > “Please pray for my sister Kristy!! She was leading a dive trip on this boat,” Harmeling wrote. ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/73 "2019-09-03T20:02:02Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > Wow, to those pointing fingers and assuming blame… > > Being below deck is a BIG FUCKING DEAL and a BIG FUCKING DIFFERENCE. People got trapped down there or died down there for the same reason nobody could magically get down there from above deck and be some sort of movie hero. > > FIRE HOT. So hot it’ll make you jump to your fucking death rather than being cooked alive as you feel your eyeballs melt down your face, if you can get over your throat, lungs and face incinerating, as you wish you could jump to your death. > > This was real life – not some movie where heroes rush into the fire to save people. > > Vile to imagine what happened and then condemn people. Idiots. > > . Perhaps some folks just couldn’t picture the size or layout of the boat, or the nature of the fire. There’s been a good deal of jumping to conclusions in this thread, all around. So sorry for your loss Qadgop the Mercotan. For all the losses. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/74 "2019-09-03T20:04:20Z")
Some of us are just wondering what went wrong for this to happen and what needs to change for this not to happen again. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/75 "2019-09-03T20:31:00Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > AIUI, they owned the tour/guide company, she took it over from her father when he passed away. They worked closely with the company that owned that boat and others, to arrange for the tours. But my understanding may be incomplete. I was wrong about that. If there’s something that I can do for you from over here, don’t hesitate to ask. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/76 "2019-09-03T20:55:32Z")
Ah, shit. I’m so sorry. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/77 "2019-09-03T21:35:20Z")
A boat blew up earlier this summer. Arkansas Game and Fish suspects built up gas fumes and or spilled gas. I’ve launched my boat at that ramp many times. > **[Mom suffers severe burns in Garland Co. boat explosion](https://www.fox16.com/news/local-news/mom-suffers-severe-burns-in-garland-co-boat-explosion/)** > > A Saline County mom is being treated for severe burns after a boat explosion in Garland County over the weekend.  I don’t know if a similar situation happened on the dive boat. It’s certainly a possibility. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/78 "2019-09-04T00:34:48Z")
I was thinking about the boats my brother used to go on for fishing trips down off Baja when he was a teen. He called this morning and verified that the boats he took were very similar to this one. He also confirmed that if the fire started in the galley and blew up as quickly as it seems, there was basically no way for the people below deck to get out. He also said that the it was common for the crew to be up on bridge overnight and often slept up there. Unless the actual explosion was caused by crew negligence, it doesn’t seem they’re to blame for what happened. They were just very, very lucky. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/79 "2019-09-04T01:10:54Z")
I’ve mentioned from time to time that my wife is a teacher. We just found out that one of the victims was a high school physics teacher in my wife’s school district. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592/80 "2019-09-04T02:07:49Z")
What a horrible loss. Reading this thread reminds me how many more people are affected than the survivors and the families of those lost. I’m so sorry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scuba-charter-disaster-in-california-over-30-feared-dead-sept-2019/839592.md?page=5)