5 years since 34 people killed in Conception fire
Labor Day marks 5 years since 34 people were killed in a Conception fire.
LOS ANGELES – Monday marked five years since 34 people lost their lives in a tragic boat fire.
The MV Conception sank off the Santa Barbara Coast near Santa Cruz Island during a Labor Day weekend scuba dive trip. Investigators say it was an electrical fire.
Among the divers was Kristy Finstad, 41, an adventurous marine biologist. FOX 11’s Hailey Winslow spoke with her brother, Brett Harmeling on Labor Day, who first spoke to her about Finstad after the tragic accident.
Their sister just released a book about the tragedy, “Her Last Voyage,” by Heather Sawdon.
Originally facing 34 counts, a federal judge sentenced the boat captain to four years in prison, followed by three years supervised release for one count of “seaman’s manslaughter.” The captain is currently free on bond, pending appeal of his conviction.
Harmeling hopes for stricter vessel safety requirements so no one else has to suffer the trauma and heartache these 34 families have to live with for the rest of their lives. The NTSB held a conference on Labor Day with that very goal in mind.
The 34 families reunited on Labor Day, as they do every year, to honor their loved ones on the Santa Barbara shoreline.