Twenty-five people have been found dead after a diving boat burst into flames off Santa Cruz Island, California, according to a Coast Guard official, Independent reports.
Lieutenant Commander Matthew Kroll said nine people were still missing following the pre-dawn fire.
Rescuers initially recovered four bodies just off Santa Cruz Island and 16 others were pulled from the water later in the day, while five have been found but not recovered due to unsafe conditions under the boat, the Coast Guard said.
Five of the six crew members escaped as flames engulfed the Conception by jumping into an inflatable boat they steered to a nearby vessel, the Grape Escape.
The 75ft (23m) Conception caught fire off the north coast of Santa Cruz Island at about 3.15am (11.15am UK time) on Monday.
"We should all be prepared to move into the worst outcome," Coast Guard Captain Monica Rochester said at a news conference, as authorities searched for the missing people.