At least 34 people are missing after a powerful inferno ripped through a 75ft dive boat near Santa Cruz Island off US coast of Southern California, reports local media.
The US Coast Guard said it had launched a massive rescue operation after a report that more than 30 people were “in distress.” Pictures showed the vessel engulfed by flames as firefighters carried out their rescue. “The fire was so intense that even after it was put out we were not able actually to embark the vessel,” The Daily Beast quoted a Coast Guard spokesman as saying on Monday.
Local Ventura County Fire officials confirmed to The Daily Beast that it had managed to rescue some of the people from the boat but 34 were still missing; they believe some of them have died.
“We did rescue five individuals who are being transported ashore now, one with moderate injury, and there are still 34 unaccounted for,” said Fire Capt. Brian McGrath. “There are fatalities but I can't give you a number because the Coast Guard is still searching the water.”
The tragedy happened off Santa Cruz Island—the largest of the Channel Islands south of Santa Barbara and west of Los Angeles.
A spokesman for the Coast Guard told CNN that 39 people were on board what is believed to be a commercial dive vessel. All but five of those people were below deck when the fire broke out at 03:14 local time.
A unified command station has been set up at Coast Guard's Channel Islands harbor as the rescue operations continues.