5 rescued after boat catches fire near Catalina Island
LOS ANGELES - Five people were rescued from a burning boat after it caught fire.
LA County lifeguards and the fire department responded to a 50-foot power vessel on fire Tuesday around 7 a.m. off the waters of Catalina Island.
Officials say the five people on board were rescued by Good Samaritans then transferred to Baywatch Isthmus and then to a local hospital for treatment.
According to LA County Lifeguards, Baywatch Avalon worked to extinguish the flames and prevent it from spreading to the island cliff face nearby.
The vessel sank after about 45 minutes of firefighting. The scene was turned over to the Coast Guard.
It's unclear how the boat caught on fire.