Two Singaporeans are feared dead in a diving boat fire off Southern California on Sept. 2, 2019.

The fire, which erupted on The Conception diving boat at 6pm Singapore time, killed 34 people.

Two Singaporeans on passenger manifest

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) have confirmed that the names of two Singaporeans are listed on the passenger manifest.

The ministry said: “The Singapore Consulate-General in San Francisco is in close contact with the local authorities and has deployed an officer on the ground to gather more information about the two Singaporeans.”

It added that it is in contact with the Singaporeans' next of kin, reported CNA.

Bodies badly burned

Of the 34 victims, only 33 bodies have been recovered.

They were so badly burned that the authorities will be using a war zone DNA analysis tool to identify the bodies.

Only the captain and four crew members of The Conception managed to escape via an inflatable lifeboat as they were on the deck of the diving boat when the fire broke out.

They then paddled to a nearby fishing boat to seek help.

The owners of the fishing boat told the New York Times that frequent explosions were heard.

The 34 who were reported dead were sleeping on the lower deck when the fire broke out.

According to a Santa Barbara County sheriff, the two exits on the boat which led to the galley and an escape hatch were possibly blocked by fire, reported CNA.

"I can't breathe!"

In an audio clip of the distress call that was made from the boat during the fire, a man can be heard saying "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" and "I can't breathe!"

The wreckage of The Conception currently lies about 20m below the water surface and the dive boat operator, Truth Aquatics, has been suspended.

In the meantime, a makeshift memorial has been created by the community at the site of the devastation at the Santa Barbara Harbor.

Top image credit: Ventura Country Fire Department via KCBX.