Valley couple likely dead from California boat fire, family says

PHOENIX — A Valley couple has likely died in a boat fire off the Southern California coast that killed at least 25 people Monday.

Patricia Beitzinger and Neal Baltz were on the ship carrying scuba divers when the fire broke out around 3 a.m., Baltz’s family told ABC15.

“They died doing something they loved together,” Neal’s father told the TV station.

Beitzinger’s family told ABC15 they were still waiting on confirmation of the deaths from authorities.

Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr Matthew Kroll said Monday night that 25 people had died and nine were missing.

Rescuers initially recovered four bodies about 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles just off Santa Cruz Island, and 16 others were pulled from the water later in the day.

The Coast Guard says five others have been found but not recovered due to unsafe conditions under the boat, which sank about 20 yards from shore.

The four bodies recovered initially had injuries consistent with drowning, Kroll said.

The 75-foot Conception was on a three-day excursion to the chain of rugged, wind-swept isles that form Channel Islands National Park in the Pacific Ocean.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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