Conception crew member files lawsuit claiming dive boat was operating in dangerous conditions
A crew member who broke his leg while trying to reach passengers on the Conception dive boat has filed a lawsuit against the owner of the boat, claiming the Conception was operating in dangerous conditions and didn’t have proper emergency evacuation procedures.
The Pacific Coast Business Times first reported the lawsuit Wednesday.
It was filed by Ryan Sims in Ventura County Superior Court on September 12. It lists the Fritzler Family Trust, Truth Aquatics, and Worldwide Diving Adventures as defendants. The Fritzler family owns Truth Aquatics, which operated the Conception.
According to the Pacific Coast Business Times, Sims was working on the Conception when it caught fire early Labor Day morning off Santa Cruz Island. 34 people were killed. The report says Sims was one of the five crew members who survived the fire.
According to the report, the lawsuit claims Truth Aquatics did not properly maintain the boat or train employees. It also says there wasn’t adequate safety equipment, rules or means of evacuation.
NewsChannel 3 has reached out to the Fritzler family for comment.
The NTSB released its preliminary report on the investigation last week and said investigators were still trying to determine what caused the fire. The report detailed the steps crew members took to reach passengers who were trapped below deck. The report said flames prevented anyone from reaching those who were in the sleeping berths below.
