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
Close. It can happen to anybody. Reporter as for christie, the owner of worldwide diving adventures, the city of santa cruz released a statement. She worked for the city for 10 years protecting the water shed. The horrific incident is being held deeply by our community. Christies brother posted this on facebook no final word on my sister, however it is likely she has transitioned to be with the good lord. Investigators say the vast majority of the divers on board that boat were from the south bay and santa cruz area. Coming up, well hear about one man who was from los altos who was on the trip with his daughter. Coming up, the tragedy hits a stockton family especially hard. They lost 5 of their own in this fire. Their story still ahead at 530. Reporter dona baccus joins us now. Reporter mourners here in Santa Barbara have left flowers and 34 candles here at the dock. Tonight, the Sheriffs Department tells cbs news they believe the fire started on the second level above the sleeping qua
Reporter here at pacific scuba divers, diving instructor charles says longtime customer scott chan was on board the ship. Scott tried to convince the shops owner to go on the trip, but he couldnt make it. He was an experienced diver. Hed come into the shop on a regular basis to get extra equipment, get the tanks filled. He enjoyed the dives and did it all up and down the coast here. Reporter the sleeping quarters inside the vessels that belong to the company. The bunks were on the third deck and there were no locked doors to the sleeping quarters, only curtains for privacy. So investigators believe that the divers likely awoke to the smoke and flames and were trapped inside. Its such a tightknit community for divers. Everybody knows everybody else and to lose a group like that, its really hard to comprehend. Reporter scott chan was an ap physics teacher at an area high school. Mr. Chan was a beloved teacher among students and colleagues. His students knew him to be an innovative and in
Today, henry lee found out that a local High School Teacher was on the boat. Weve also learned that the majority of the victims are from santa cruz and the san jose area. Lori naylor spoke with several people today about the victims. Parents from a Charter School here in santa cruz along with the owner of a local diving company. Authorities tuesday revealed new information about the dozens of victims now feared dead in the dive boat fire in Santa Barbara county. While authorities have not released any names, the sheriff said initial information indicates that victims range from a 17yearold to some people in their 60s. The majority of the people on this ship appeared to have been from the santa cruz, san jose, bay area region, that contracted with this company that chartered this vessel. A Family Member identifies one of the victims as kristi finstad, the coowner of worldwide diving ventures in santa cruz, says that she was leading a p on the boat. We know that people here are learning
The ntsb arrived today and they will try to determine how this fire started. Investigators plan to interview the survivors to learn more about what may have sparked the blaze. Meantime Officials Say they will use rapid dna analysis to try to identify the victims. You will remember, that was the same analysis used to identify victims of the wildfire that devastated the town of paradise last year. Five members of one family are among those on the dive trip. A relative says the family was from stockton. Susanna rojas posted on social media that her three daughters, their father, and their stepmother were all on board conception when it caught fire before dawn yesterday morning. They were outstanding citizens, they are just beautiful, special, they did everything, i evan was on with her father, her sisters nicole and angela, and their stepmother. Evan, her father and stepmother all worked as rses at Joseph Medical Center in stockton, angela was a middle School Teacher in stockton and nicol