As the investigation into the deadly Conception dive boat disaster continues, search warrants were served Sunday at the offices of the vessel’s owner, Truth Aquatics, at the Santa Barbara Harbor, as well as at the company’s two sister vessels, which are moored there.
The warrants were obtained by the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, which was being assisted by investigators from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to Santa Barbara County sheriff’s Lt. Erik Raney.
He said sheriff’s investigators accompanied the other agencies when the warrants were served at about 8 a.m.
The searches went on throughout the day Sunday and were continuing on Monday.
“All were part of the ongoing investigation, so nothing more will be released about them,” Raney told Noozhawk.
The Conception was anchored off Santa Cruz Island on Labor Day morning, on the last day of a three-day scuba diving expedition when it caught fire and later sank, killing 33 passengers and a crew member who were in the below-deck bunk area.
Five crew members survived.
Authorities have recovered the remains of 33 of those who died in the catastrophe, and have released the names of 22 of the victims.
Meanwhile, progress has been made on the salvage operations for boat, but efforts were suspended on Friday, at least through Monday, due to weather and ocean conditions.
Search-and-recovery efforts for the last missing person also were suspended.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
