Boat Catches Fire, Sinks Off Coast Of Carlsbad

CARLSBAD, CA — A boat caught fire and sank Thursday off the coast of Carlsbad.

The fire was reported around 9 a.m. on a 50-foot vessel about seven miles off the coast of Carlsbad, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Photo and video on Twitter showed a plume of smoke over the ocean.

A Coast Guard helicopter, along with Coast Guard cutters Munro, Benjamin Bottoms and the Haddock responded to the scene, a Coast Guard spokesperson said.

The Oceanside Harbor Master confirmed the boat, named "Relentless," had left Oceanside and was headed toward Carlsbad Thursday morning, according to the Coast Guard. The owner of the boat lived aboard the vessel and was presumed to have been alone. His name was not released.

The boat sank in an area where the ocean is 1,800 feet deep, a Coast Guard spokesperson said. The helicopter crew searched the area for more than six hours but they did not find any survivors. The search for the boat's owner was expected to continue through Thursday night.

• UPDATE: Search Suspended For Missing Boat Fire Victim Off Carlsbad Coast