HORRIFYING

One Santa Cruz Dive Boat Passenger’s Cry for Help: ‘I Can't Breathe’

A Coast Guard dispatcher was reportedly questioning one of the boat's crew members about escape hatches for passengers.

A passenger on the diving boat that was swallowed by flames off Santa Cruz Island, California early Monday morning put in a cry for help in a mayday call. “I can't breathe,” the passenger said, according to ABC News.

A Coast Guard dispatcher was also heard questioning one of the crew members on the Conception about fire extinguishers and an "escape hatch" for passengers in a mayday call. “Can you get back onboard and unlock the boat?” the dispatcher said, according to CNN. “You don’t have any firefighting gear at all? No fire extinguishers or anything?” The crew member's responses were reportedly inaudible.

Thirty-four people are feared dead after the Conception caught flame early Monday morning. Officials said the five crew members jumped off the boat once fire erupted, and were rescued.