Dive boat sinks in flames off California, 34 missing
Los Angeles: A commercial scuba-dive boat sank amid intense flames early Monday off the coast of Southern California and 34 passengers were unaccounted for, the US Coast Guard said.
Many were feared dead.
Fire crews in helicopters, small boats and a Coast Guard cutter spent hours desperately battling the fierce pre-dawn fire on the 75-foot (23-meter) Conception, which had been on a diving excursion around Santa Cruz Island.
But the blaze and intense heat prevented them from breaching the vessel's hull to search for survivors before the craft sank, the Coast Guard said.
Five Conception crew members were awake and jumped into the water when flames burst out around 3:15 am (1015 GMT), Coast Guard Captain Monica Rochester told reporters in a televised briefing.
The five were rescued by people on a pleasure craft called the Grape Escape, Rochester said.
She said it was unclear whether the Conception's crew had been able to try to rescue any passengers, all of whom were believed to have been sleeping in a bunk cabin below decks.
She said 34 people -- not the 33 reported earlier by the Coast Guard -- were unaccounted for when the Conception sank 20 yards (meters) offshore, leaving only its bow exposed.
"I'm unaware of any survivors at this time," Coast Guard Petty Officer Aaron Bemis told CNN earlier, adding that it was too soon to confirm casualties.
Rochester said the Coast Guard was still in "response phase" -- meaning search and rescue efforts were continuing, primarily through a shoreline search for possible survivors.
She said the Conception, which was launched in 1981 by a Santa Barbara-based company called Truth Aquatics, "has been in full compliance" with safety regulations, and that its owner was cooperating with investigators.
Asked whether there had been an explosion on board or a slow-developing fire, Rochester said that "the only Mayday call we received was the vessel was engulfed in flames." Bemis said the fire was put out multiple times but flared back up, apparently because of the amount of fuel in the vessel, which could carry up to 1,600 gallons, according to the company website.
Bill Nash, a spokesperson for Ventura County, told CNN many people were feared dead. Crews from that county and from Santa Barbara County had joined the Coast Guard in battling the fire.
"It's a large boat, and we know we have numerous fatalities," Nash said.
The Truth Aquatics website said the Conception, listed as having bunks for up to 46 people, had been scheduled to return Monday from a three-day trip after visiting several diving spots around Santa Cruz Island.
The area is popular for a variety of water and outdoor sports.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
