The 34 people killed when a dive boat caught fire and sank off the California co...
LOS ANGELES - The 34 people killed when a dive boat caught fire and sank off the California coast likely died from smoke inhalation and may have been dead before flames consumed their bunk area, the local sheriff said on Friday.
Divers have so far recovered the burned remains of 33 victims, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told a news conference. Crews hoped to find the final body when the 75-foot Conception was raised from the floor of the Pacific Ocean as early as Friday. The five surviving crew members, who were above deck when the fire broke out, have told investigators the flames kept them from climbing down a narrow ladder into the bunk room or gaining access through a window.
The coroner’s office has identified 18 of the recovered bodies and officials released the names of nine victims, saying the rest awaited notifications of next of kin, who have been asked to provide DNA samples. The eight deceased passengers whose names were released on Friday were: Raymond “Scott” Chan, 59; Justin Carroll Dignam, 58; Daniel Garcia, 46; Marybeth Guiney, 51; Yulia Krashennaya, 40; Caroline McLaughlin, 35; Ted Strom, 62; and Wei Tan, 26.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mom of 3 Sisters Who Died in Boat Fire Writes Heartbreaking Post: 'The Pacific Ocean Has Called Them'Mom of 3 sisters who died in boat fire writes heartbreaking post: 'The Pacific Ocean has called them'
Read more »
Nine of 34 victims of California boat fire identified by authoritiesNine of the 34 people killed when they were trapped below deck on a dive ship th...
Read more »
https://people.comGet the latest news about celebrities, royals, music, TV, and real people. Find exclusive content, including photos and videos, on PEOPLE.com.
Read more »
California boat fire may put spotlight on Titanic's legal defenseThe company that owns a scuba dive boat that caught fire and sank off California...
Read more »
California boat fire to put spotlight on Titanic's legal defenseThe company that owns a scuba dive boat that caught fire and sank off California...
Read more »
California dive boat owner quickly asks judge to limit payouts to victims' familiesThe owner of Conception asks a federal judge to eliminate or reduce payouts to relatives of crew and passengers after boat fire.
Read more »