STOCKTON, Calif. — Members of the Stockton community will have the opportunity to pay their respects to a family killed in last month's boat fire off the Southern California coast. A mass of Christian burial for the five Quitasol family members will be held at the Cathedral of Annunciation in Stockton Thursday morning.
Michael Quitasol, 62, Fernisa Sison, 57, and Michael's daughters Angela, 28, Evan, 37 and Nicole 31, were all on the Conception dive boat celebrating Michael’s birthday when it caught fire September 2.
Dominic Selga, the son of Fernisa Sison, spoke with ABC10 after he learned his mother was one of the 34 victims. He told ABC10 he and all the family had taken scuba diving trips on that ship several times before. “We've all been on it, we've all sat on it, saw the scenery and slept in the bunks,” he explained.
He added that the family loved diving.
“The only piece that we get out of it is that they were doing something they loved to do and they loved each other,” Selga said.
The family’s Mass of Christian Burial comes just two days after the owner of the scuba diving boat company announced a voluntary indefinite suspension of its fleet in the wake of the fire that killed 34 people.
On a Facebook post Tuesday, Truth Aquatics Inc. announced that the company will "dedicate our entire efforts to make our boats models of new regulations" in collaboration with the Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Currently, the company is under criminal and safety investigations for the fire. The boat involved in the deadly fire did pass its most recent inspections, but investigators are concerned about the boat's escape hatch.
Authorities have also said all six crew members were asleep when the early morning fire started — although Coast Guard regulations require a "roving" night watch.
Thursday’s service at Cathedral of the Annunciation (400 W. Rose St., Stockton, Calif.) was presided over by Rev. Myron Cotta, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Stockton. It started at 11 a.m. and was open to public. The cathedral is expecting hundreds to attend the service.
They advise arriving early for seating and parking purposes.
Follow the conversation on Facebook with Carlos Herrera.
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