[ad_1]
A 17-year-old girl celebrating her birthday was among those who died on the diving boat that caught fire off the California coast.
The teenager was on board the Conception with her parents when it caught fire early Monday, according to the Los Angeles Times. Two other passengers would have also celebrated their birthday.
So far, the death of 25 people has been confirmed, but it is feared that 34 people have died as a result of the 75 foot vessel fire anchored off the island of Santa Cruz, south of Santa Barbara.
Among them, 41-year-old marine biologist Kristy Finstad and Michael Kohls, chef and cook of the boat.
A family of five also perished aboard the boat, local media reported. Hospital officials and relatives said that siblings Evan Quitasol, Nicole Storm Solano Quitasol and Angela Rose Solano Quitasol were on board the Conception when it caught fire. According to their information, their father, Michael Quitasol, and his wife, Fernisa Sison, were with them.
And the Pacific Collegiate School in Santa Cruz announced that two of its students, Berenice Felipe and Tia Salinka, were aboard the boat with Salinka's parents, according to NBC News.
The fire was declared while the passengers were sleeping. The video taken aboard the Design during a previous trip reveals close and narrow working conditions in the passenger quarters located under the bridge. In the dark, it would have been impossible to find a way out.
A terrible call to the Coast Guard was issued around 3:15 pm The appellant said he could not reach the passengers to save them.
"There are 33 people on board the ship on fire, they can not get off?" asked the dispatcher. "And there is no escape for the people on board?"
When the boat burned, five people managed to jump safely. Two suffered leg injuries. Another boater, Bob Hansen, was nearby and saved them on his ship, the Grape Escape.
"The five of them jumped from the boat into underwear," he told Inside Edition.
He stated that the crew members had told him that they could not reach the passengers.
"When they opened the kitchen door, everything was on fire and roof tiles were already falling from the ceiling," he said. "They could not go in. And I asked:" Is there any other way out? "And he said:" Yes, that was on the back but it was already in flames. "
The search for victims was suspended Tuesday afternoon.
RELATED STORIES
Mayday's dramatic appeal reveals chaos on a burning California boat: "There's no escape"
Massive search underway for missing firefighters who disappeared by boat
Firefighters battle huge fire to save terrified raccoons
[ad_2]
Source link