After a fire aboard a ship off the coast of California, a total of 20 dead are recovered. 14 people are still missing, said US Sheriff Bill Brown. Since the accident on Monday no passengers were found alive.
The search for potential survivors had been halted in the morning, said Captain Monica Rochester of the Coast Guard. Thus, the number of deaths should rise to 34.
The passengers had slept below deck when the submarine "Conception" in front of the island of Santa Cruz Island went up in flames. Five crew members of the excursion ship, who were on the deck, had been able to escape into the water after the outbreak of the fire.
On Tuesday, the recovery of bodies from the sunken boat and the seabed should be continued. In addition, the surviving crew members would continue to be interviewed. The cause of the accident is not yet known. According to Rochester, the excursion boat should have met the requirements of the annual safety inspection.
