Live from the cbs a area studios, this is kpix 5 news. We have just learned the majority of the victims of the Southern California boat fire tragedy wherefrom the bay area. That includes students from a santa cruz school. Good afternoon, the search is now suspended after the coast of Santa Barbara county and just in the last hour, the sheriff gave new details about the victims. The majority on the people on the ship appeared to have been from the santa cruz, san jose bay area region that contracted with this company that charted this vessel. Cbs reporter backs the Team Coverage from Santa Barbara. Reporter coast guard officials shifted their search for recovery effort for search for victims. Efforts will be made to stabilize the boat so that divers can safely enter it and search it and recover additional victims. Reporter the 75 foot conception was on a threeday diving trip when a burst into flames as passengers of below deck. There are 33 people that cant get off. Reporter authorities
Recovered so far, of the 34 people presumed dead. The cause of that fire is still unknown. Reporter the process of identifying the victims and notifying families is underway very search efforts for survivors ended tuesday after labor day dive boat excursion of Southern California turns tragic. 39 on board, 33 passengers, six crew. But early monday morning a fire broke out, dropping those sleeping in bunks below deck, blocking, according to the sheriff, the one exit and escape hatch. 34 died in the inferno, 20 bodies recovered. Deputies hope to find remaining victims today, but the conception remains upside down and unstable and 65 feet of water. It is never an easy decision to suspend search efforts, we know this is a very difficult time for families and friends of the victims. Five crewmembers sleeping on the top deck escaped by jumping off and taking a small boat to safety. Two went back to look for survivors but found no one. Today efforts will be made to stabilize the boat so that
Were they awake . Did they even wake up . Reporter the boat they were on caught fire around 3 00 a. M. As more than two dozen people slept on the lower deck. At first, he held on to hope his family was on a different boat. I was so praying and hoping for it to be the vision. Not that i want somebody else to suffer, but that it wasnt them. Reporter his family has been on the conception before this tragedy. He had taken the trip with him. His step father loved diving. It was his longtime passion. Diving is something they just shared. Its just something that made them happy together. One thing one of the many, but something that made them happy together. Reporter he says his step sisters loved diving and spending time together. Even, hes the oldest and she loved diving with her dad too. Nicole, amazing, good hearted. Angela, shes a teacher. Amazing person too. Affected so many kids lives. Reporter he has so many questions, but must also find answers for his two Young Children who keep ask
Live inanz with w reporter well, as students arrived here at Pacific Collegiate School here in santa cruz this morning, some of them learned for the very first time that two of their classmates likely died in that fiery boat accident. The school had grief counselors here to help the students. Friends confirm tia, her father steve and diana were on a Labor Day Weekend dive trip aboard the conception when the boat caught fire and sank. Tias good friend, 16yearold baranisea felipe was with them as well. All four believed to be killed in the fire. They were both students heree s santa cruz. Pacific Collegiate School is saddened by the tragic sinking of the diving vessel conception over the weekend. While this was not a schoolsponsored trip, our hearts and thoughts are with the families and victims, particularly those of our students and parents on board. Reporter parents we spoke with say they received an email last night letting them know the two girls were on the boat. This womans daught
Whewere there life jackets, life boats. A preliminary investigation in ten days and a final report in 12 to 24 months. We also learned today that many of the victims had ties to Northern California and the bay area. And theres this chilling bit of information. One family lost five people in this disaster. Lets begin our coverage with abc 7 News Reporter Wayne Freedman live in stockton. Wayne . Reporter Sierra Middle School is a place that has been touched by this tragedy much of the surprise students, teachers, parents, Staff Members heard the news this morning. Theyre still trying to process it. By the time classes let out at Sierra Middle School in stockton today it seemed unbelievable and yet unavoidable that yesterdays boat tragedy could hit home here with pain so broad and such a well known and loved victim. She was good. She was kind. A good teacher. Reporter angela was a science teacher, one of five members from one family who perished in yesterday mornings fire. Two of her sist