Labor Day Boat Fire

Coast Guard and partner agencies responded to a vessel fire near Santa Cruz Island, California, early Monday morning.

At approximately 3:15 a.m. on Monday, September 2, 2019, Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach watchstanders overheard a mayday call via channel 16 of an engulfed 75-foot commercial diving vessel with approximately 38 people aboard. The boat, which was named "Conception" was reportedly anchored overnight Sunday during a 3-day dive cruise with about 33 passengers.

Crews from the Coast Guard, Santa Barbara Fire Department, Ventura County Fire Department and Vessel Assist responded. The fire department crews were fighting the fire when the vessel sank 20 yards off shore in 64 feet of water.

Five people were evacuated aboard a good samaritan pleasure craft named the "Great Escape". News reports are stating the survivors were all crew members that were awake, up top, while the remaining passengers were sleeping down below.

As of this posting, 4 bodies have been recovered and approximately 29 people that were aboard the vessel are still unaccounted for.

We believe the photo above may be from the website of the company operating the cruise, with the boat in question pictured in the center. The same website had a three-day dive cruise aboard the Conception from 08/31/2019 to 09/02/2019. If this is the fateful cruise, then the guests perished during the final day of their trip.

Sources: USCG Newsroom, ABC News, and via live updates from CNN