No passengers survived California boat fire
****EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS VIDEO UPDATES AN EARLIER VERSION OF THE STORY THAT ERRONEOUSLY STATED THE NUMBER OF RECOVERED REMAINS. THIS UPDATE, WHICH NOW INCLUDES A SOUNDBITE FROM SANTA BARBARA SHERIFF BILL BROWN, CORRECTS THAT MISTAKE. PLEASE USE THIS VIDEO AND MAKE NO FURTHER USE OF THE EARLIER VERSION. APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE****
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SANTA BARBARA SHERIFF BILL BROWN SAYING:
"Sadly, no additional survivors have been found."
Authorities in California on Tuesday confirmed victims' families worst fears after a massive boat fire near Santa Cruz Island, saying it appeared that all 34 missing people are dead.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) CAPTAIN MONICA ROCHESTER, U.S. COAST GUARD, SAYING:
"As of 940 a.m. this morning Coast Guard has suspended search efforts pending further development. It is never an easy decision to suspend search efforts. We know that this is a very difficult time for families and friends of the victims."
(SOUNDBITE) (English) REPORTER OFF-CAMERA SAYING:
"At this point are you assuming that all 34 passengers did not make it?"
(SOUNDBITE) (English) CAPTAIN MONICA ROCHESTER, U.S. COAST GUARD, SAYING:
"That would be a correct assumption."
Authorities have launched an investigation into one of Southern California's worst maritime disasters. So far divers have recovered the bodies of 20 of the 34 people believed to have been killed after a fast moving fire broke out aboard the commercial diving vessel, trapping the victims below deck.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SANTA BARBARA SHERIFF BILL BROWN SAYING:
"Thus far the victims have only been identified as 11 female and nine male remains. There were several other victims that were seen by the divers, somewhere between four and six that are still within the wreckage, but due to the positioning of the boat they were unable to be recovered before nightfall."
A mayday call at around 330 a.m. Monday morning captured the chaos on board.
In all there were 39 people board, dozens of them trapped in the sleeping quarters below deck at the time of the fire. Five crew members were able to jump overboard and were rescued by Bob and Shirley Hansen who were nearby on their fishing boat.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SHIRLEY HANSEN, 'GRAPE ESCAPE' FISHING VESSEL SAYING:
"I heard 'help!' And my husband got up and I followed him and he opened the door. and he saw the flames."
Ventura County fire crews battled the blaze but the boat eventually sank upside down in more than 60 feet of water. The 75 foot charter dive boat called 'The Conception' was operated by Worldwide Diving Adventures -- a Santa Barbara-based company that says on its Website it has been taking divers on such expeditions since 1972.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) DIVER DEAN CHILDS SAYING:
"Over 12 years I've been diving on that boat. It's a top notch outfit. I can't believe that this happened to 'em."
The cause of the fire remains unknown. Meanwhile people laid flowers at a makeshift memorial at the Santa Barbara Pier Monday, where the boat would have docked at the end of its voyage.
