Post-Conception Disaster: what you learned & will change

[Wookie]

The Egyptian crew probably didn't even know about the Conception tragedy. Here in the UK, few divers have heard about it. Ahmed Fadel (whom I know) was unaware of it. He was the Aggressor manager at the time. Do many foreigners travel to California to dive?

To Dive? Probably not. Diving while there on other business or as part of their vacation? Absolutely. Or in my case with a Texas liveaboard, we had lots of foreign guests, certainly one on every trip and sometimes a group.

 

[FinnMom]

I was already planning to no longer take large dive lights on foreign trips. Too odd llooking, attracting too much attention from airport security. I’m afraid someday an airport security person will decide to confiscate my battery pack because it is too dangerous in their opinion, or because he’s just dumb and thinks it looks like a part of a weapon, or because he’s not dumb at all he just pretends to be concerned because he wants to confiscate and sell it. I don’t really need the big lights and I can’t afford to lose a light/battery pack. I’m going to stop taking them on fly-there trips.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I was already planning to no longer take large dive lights on foreign trips. Too odd llooking, attracting too much attention from airport security. I’m afraid someday an airport security person will decide to confiscate my battery pack because it is too dangerous in their opinion, or because he’s just dumb and thinks it looks like a part of a weapon, or because he’s not dumb at all he just pretends to be concerned because he wants to confiscate and sell it. I don’t really need the big lights and I can’t afford to lose a light/battery pack. I’m going to stop taking them on fly-there trips.

Some of those hand held LED lights with regular batteries are quite good now and put out plenty of light even for basic night diving.

 

[John Bantin]

In the thread related to it, this was discussed in detail. The passengers knew about the Conception and asked the crew about their policies. The crew stated emphatically that they were aware of it and assured the passengers they would be well protected.

Have you had much experience in third-world countries? When they say "No problem" it means no problem for them! I bet the Egyptian crew were not aware of the seriousness of the Conception fire and probably found the passenger's request amusing. People in third world countries tend to be very positive. They have to be or they'd be very depressed - like the driver I had in Indonesia who, when I asked why he didn't use his seatbelt replied, he wasn't going to have an accident so there was no need.

 

[FinnMom]

Some of those hand held LED lights with regular batteries are quite good now and put out plenty of light even for basic night diving.

Exactly my thoughts. We have a couple amazing little LEDs flashlights with hand socks to hold them. We are not cave divers, so we can live w/o cable lights.

 

[boulderjohn]

Have you had much experience in third-world countries? When they say "No problem" it means no problem for them! I bet the Egyptian crew were not aware of the seriousness of the Conception fire and probably found the passenger's request amusing. People in third world countries tend to be very positive. They have to be or they'd be very depressed - like the driver I had in Indonesia who, when I asked why he didn't use his seatbelt replied, he wasn't going to have an accident so there was no need.

NTSB CONCEPTION HEARING - THIS TUESDAY @ 10AM

 

[John Bantin]

For clarity: The Red Sea Aggressor I was actually an Egyptian vessel called Suzanna (marketed as an Aggressor), with a British? owner and an Egyptian crew.

 

[scubadada]

For clarity: The Red Sea Aggressor I was actually an Egyptian vessel called Suzanna (marketed as an Aggressor), with a British? owner and an Egyptian crew.

...and was audited in great detail by the Aggressor VP of Operations, Larry Speaker, the first week of May, 2016, when I was on board for a week on the BDE route. I don't understand what the point of your comment is here, Aggressor bears no responsibility?

 

[living4experiences]

I will get back on the Truth Aquatics boats as soon as I can to support the company. The change for me is only in the urgency to support them.

I would never give my money to any company that, in effect, murdered 33 people because of their negligence. My hope is they go out of business.

Edit: 34 people.

 

[boulderjohn]

The following story has nothing to do with scuba, but does describe a psychological trait which some might find apt for this thread.

Many years ago I taught a literature course in science fiction at the University of Colorado. We looked at one of the first published short stories by Robert Heinlein, who years later was to become a giant in the genre. Since it was a literature class, we looked at literary technique. I pointed out one technique Heinlein used that was done particularly clumsily by the young writer. I said that the problem early science fiction writers had was the same problem Shakespeare had when he first started writing plays--with no competition in a suddenly popular medium, everything he wrote was published, even those first plays which were, frankly, not very good, especially in comparison with his later work. We thus get to see the early work with the flaws we do not see in other writers because their early works did not get published.

One of my students objected, saying that there was nothing wrong with the example I gave. When I pressed him to explain why he was defending what was so obviously poorly done, he finally said in nearly so many words that he thought Heinlein was one of the greatest writers ever, one of his heroes, so it was not possible for him to have ever done anything that was not excellent.