San Diego Woman Killed In Tragic Boat Fire Off Santa Cruz Island

SAN DIEGO — A San Diego woman was among those killed when a boat caught fire and sank Monday near Santa Cruz Island off the Southern California coast.

Nicole Quitasol, who worked at Nicky Rottens Bar & Burger Joint in Coronado, died in the fire, along with four of her family members, according to a GoFundMe campaign set up by Bryn Butolph, the restaurant's CFO.

Also see: California Boat Fire: 34 Presumed Dead, Rescue Suspended

"Nicole has worked with our Nicky Rottens Coronado family for years, and she will be remembered as an adventurous and loving soul," wrote Butolph, who also shared the news on Facebook. "Our hearts are broken and we can't imagine the pain her family feels."

The family of five was among 34 people presumed dead in the blaze.

Thirty-nine passengers and crew members departed Santa Barbara Harbor on Saturday aboard a boat called Conception for a Labor Day weekend trip.

Only five crew members were found alive. They jumped off the burning ship and evacuated aboard a good Samaritan pleasure craft, officials said.

During a press conference Tuesday morning, authorities said 20 bodies have been recovered. Several other bodies have been found but not yet retrieved.

The Coast Guard suspended its search for survivors. Officials said all those still unaccounted for were presumed dead.

The GoFundMe campaign was launched to raise money to help with the funeral costs of the five family members.

Quitasol's father Michael, her two sisters Evanmichael and Angela and her stepmother Fernisa June Sison, all Central Valley residents, were also identified among the victims, according to the Orange County Register. Michael worked as a nurse at Kaiser Permanente Modesto while Evanmichael and Sison worked at hospitals in Stockton and Modesto.

Butolph started the crowdfunding page with the blessing of Quitasol's mother, Susana Solano Rosas.

"I asked if she wanted to talk to anybody, news-wise, and she obviously just can't handle it," Butolph said. "She said 'just take every call you can and get my daughter's story out there.' And that's what we're doing."

Butolph said that although they're "torn apart," staff members asked to avoid closing the restaurant to celebrate Quitasol's life as a group. Her regular customers have also come to the restaurant to remember her.

"People want to listen to music and have beer and talk about her," Butolph said. "So I guess that's the one silver lining that we've got so far, you know, they all want to be together and hang out and we're happy to provide a safe space for everybody to mourn together."

City News Service contributed to this report.

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