The criminal investigation into the Conception dive boat disaster is being handled by federal agencies, but the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Victim Witness Program is helping victims’ families impacted by the deadly fire.
Thirty-four people died in the Sept. 2 blaze aboard the Santa Barbara-based Conception, which was anchored offshore Santa Cruz Island at the time. Five crew members survived.
The California Victim Compensation Board designated the Victim Witness Program as the governmental agency that will help Conception victims seek money for funeral-related costs, applications for compensation, referral agencies or providers for counseling and other services, the District Attorney’s Office said Monday.
“From day one our office has been engaged in this endeavor,” District Attorney Joyce Dudley said in a statement. “From the early morning hours of Sept. 3, our office’s focus has been on the fire victims and their loved ones.”
Multiple federal agencies are conducting a criminal investigation into the dive boat blaze, and U.S. Coast Guard officials have served search warrants at the offices of the boat’s owner/operator, Truth Aquatics.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report was released last week, and final reports on the incident are expected to take 12 to 18 months.
“The federal government alone has the necessary resources to do a comprehensive investigation, while our local agencies, including your District Attorney’s Office, will instead continue to respond to, and focus on, our local communities,” Dudley said.
“Now, more than ever we must be there for our families, friends and community members alike.”
The District Attorney’s Office Victim-Witness Assistance Program in Santa Barbara can be reached at 805.568.2400 or toll-free at 855.840.3232.
Free help also is available for first responders, she added, referencing the Santa Barbara Police Foundation’s “At Ease” program which offers confidential counseling to first responders.
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
