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I have followed this story since the beginning and it is beyond tragic. The boat was well regarded by the entire diving community and was always in compliance for safety with the crew especially known for pre-voyage safety instruction to the passengers. The Conception was considered the "Crown Jewel" of overnight dive boats.

Latest theory, offered by the designer of the boat itself, is that the fire was started by a Lithium battery charging station, possibly located in the bunk area or in the galley. Lots of lithium devices on board from laptops to cell phones to cameras and flash equipment. One surviving crew member states he was awakened by a "jolt" and immediately confronted by fire. We've all seen videos of exploding/burning lithium batteries so the ferocity of the fire could be intense. Something I heard on the first day of reporting, but have not heard since, is that the crew tried to suppress the fire but it kept reigniting. If true, that is consistent with a fire fueled by lithium devices, though it does not exclude any other cause.

Regardless of the cause, this is a tragedy beyond words.