>>
>> THE
>> THE FIVE CREWMEMBERS WERE ALREADY OFF, JUMPING FOR SAFETY
EDITING.
EDITING.
EDITING. THEY PADDLE TO THE GREAT ESCAPE
ABOUT.
ABOUT.
ABOUT. >>
ABOUT. >> AND THEN I HEARD HELP.
>> THEY QUICKLY BROUGHT THE
FIBERBOARD, INCLUDING ONE WITH A
BROKEN LEG.
BROKEN LEG. >> THE DOOR OPENS UP -- THE
FELLA WHO HAVE A BROKEN LEG, WE
CAN BRING HIM IT.
>> THE CONCEPTION LET THE NIGHT
SKY.
SKY.
SKY. >>
SKY. >> THEY TRIED TO GET IN THROUGH
THE GALLEY TO GET THE GUESTS
OUT.
OUT.
OUT. IT
OUT. IT WAS ALREADY ENGULFED IN
FLAMES.
FLAMES.
FLAMES. >> IT WAS ON THE LAST NIGHT OF
THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND DIVING
EXCURSION.
EXCURSION. 34 PEOPLE WERE ON BOARD TRAPPED
IN A LOWER COMPARTMENT IS THE
FIRE SPREAD THROUGH AN EMERGENCY
EXIT.
EXIT.
EXIT. THEY WERE JUST TRAPPED.
>> AMONG THEM, A 17-YEAR-OLD
CELEBRATING HER BIRTHDAY AND A
CREW MEMBER'S GIRLFRIEND.
>> WE GIVE THEM A FLASHLIGHT AND
TWO VHS RADIOS.
>> THEY WERE SOON JOINED BY
OTHER BOATS.
OTHER BOATS. NO OTHER SURVIVORS WERE FOUND.
>> THE FLAMES AND KNOWING PEOPLE
WERE ON BOARD, CANNOT GET OUT.
YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE
HORROR.
HORROR.
HORROR. AT FIRST, YOU FEEL HELPLESS.
BUT NOW, IT IS SETTLING IN.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS YOU
CANNOT FORSEE.
CANNOT FORSEE. >> TONIGHT, THE COAST GUARD SAYS
PEOPLE SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE
WORST POSSIBLE OUTCOME WHEN IT
COMES TO THOSE.
THE NTSB IS INVESTIGATING WHAT
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED. NORMALLY, WE SEE A PRELIMINARY
REPORT WITHIN THE FIRST FEW
WEEKS, BUT FINDING OUT THE EXACT
CAUSE COULD TAKE MORE THAN A
YEAR.
YEAR.
YEAR. MARCELLA: THANKS.
MARCELLA: THANKS. AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES,
QUESTIONS ARE NOT BEING RAISED
ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE BOAT.
RICHARD ALLEN IS LIVE WITH MORE
ON THE CONCEPTION'S RECORD AND A
FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT FROM SOMEONE
WHO HAS BEEN ON BOARD.
RICHARD: THAT IS RIGHT.
THE SANTA BARBARA MEN WE SPOKE
WITH HAPPENED TO BE IN SAN DIEGO
FOR A FISHING TRIP.
HE SAID SAFETY WAS ALWAYS
PARAMOUNT EVERY TIME HE WAS ON
BOARD THE CONCEPTION, MAKING
TODAY'S ACCIDENT ALL THE MORE
INCONCEIVABLE.
INCONCEIVABLE. >> IT IS DEFINITELY A PART OF
SANTA BARBARA.
SANTA BARBARA. IT HAS BEEN THERE.
RICHARD: SONY ALL OF JONES SAYS
HE AND HIS FAMILY BEEN ON
CHARTER TRIPS A NUMBER OF TIMES
OVER THE YEARS.
>> IT IS A STAPLE OF SANTA
BARBARA.
BARBARA.
BARBARA. YOU HAVE BEEN ON THAT BOAT AT
SOME POINT IN YOUR LIFE.
RICHARD: MEANING MONDAY MORNING
TRAGEDY ABOARD THE CONCEPTION'S
EVEN CLOSER TO HOME.
>> IT IS HORRIFIC.
RICHARD: THE CONCEPTION HAD HAD
A STERLING SAFETY RECORD.
>> THEY FOLLOWED THE STRICTEST
PROTOCOLS.
PROTOCOLS. I ALWAYS FELT SAFE.
RICHARD: THE 75 FOOT COMMERCIAL
DOCKING BOAT WAS OPERATED BY
TRUTH AQUATICS, A WELL-RESPECTED
BRAND.
BRAND.
BRAND. ACCORDING TO SAFETY RECORDS, THE
CONCEPTION ROUTINELY PASSED ALL
COAST GUARD INSPECTIONS.
>> THE VESSEL HAS BEEN IN FULL
COMPLIANCE.
COMPLIANCE. WE ARE WORKING DELIBERATELY WITH
THE VESSEL OWNER OPERATOR WHO IS
WITH US.
WITH US.
WITH US. RICHARD: THIS SKETCH SHOWS THE
LAYOUT BELOW, SHOWING 32 BEDS.
>> YOU ARE DEFINITELY CRAMPED.
RICHARD: TONY POINTS OUT AS A
DIVE BOAT, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN
A LARGE NUMBER OF SCUBA TANKS ON
BOARD.
BOARD.
BOARD. >>
BOARD. >> THEY HAVE ALL OF THESE GASES
ON THE BOAT.
SO IF THERE IS A FIRE, YOU ARE
LOOKING AT DEVASTATION.
AN EXPLOSION.
AN EXPLOSION. RICHARD: FOR THOSE BELOW DECK IN
A SITUATION LIKE THIS WITH NO
WARNING, ESCAPE WOULD BE NEARLY
IMPOSSIBLE.
IMPOSSIBLE. >> THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN GET
OUT OF THE BOAT WHEN THE DECK IS
ON FIRE.
ON FIRE.
ON FIRE. THERE IS NO ESCAPE.
THERE IS NO OTHER ACCESS.
YOU ARE PRETTY MUCH LIMITED.
MY PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS GO OUT
TO EVERY FAMILY.
IT IS DEVASTATING FOR SANTA
BARBARA.
BARBARA.
BARBARA. RICHARD: THE U.S. COAST GUARD IS
NOW WORKING WITH OFFICIALS FROM
SANTA BARBARA AND VENTURA COUNTY
TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THIS
MORNING'S TRAGIC ACCIDENT.
PERSONNEL FROM NTSB