Los Angeles Times

Victims of California boat fire part of 'tight but small community'

LOS ANGELES - Kristy Finstad first swam the waters of California's Channel Islands as a toddler, tucked under her father's arm. The 41-year-old marine biologist had since returned hundreds of times to the area's swaying kelp forests and arrays of coral.

On Friday, Finstad boarded a diving boat to help lead an expedition for her family's scuba diving company. After a fire broke out on board early Monday morning, engulfing and sinking the 75-foot vessel, Finstad remains unaccounted for.

"She's extremely strong-willed and very adventurous," said her brother, Brett Harmeling, 31. "If there was a

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times5 min read
Fireworks, Drones, Travis Scott Hats: USC Hosts Alternative Graduation Event. Feelings Are Mixed
No valedictorian speech. No celebrity speakers. No main-stage ceremony, and no massive graduate walk to “Pomp and Circumstance” before tens of thousands of guests. Instead, the University of Southern California’s graduating seniors — whose traditiona
Los Angeles Times2 min read
Woman Claiming To Be Real Martha Tells Piers Morgan 'Baby Reindeer' Is 'Hyperbole'
Will the real Martha Scott please stand up? At least one woman has now done so: In an interview with British television presenter Piers Morgan that was posted to his YouTube channel on Thursday, 58-year-old Scotswoman Fiona Harvey claims to be the ba
Los Angeles Times5 min readWorld
Commentary: Since The Hamas Attack, Israelis Have Begun Arming Themselves The American Way
Among the core Israeli national narratives that have been fractured by the Hamas terror attacks and months of war and violence is the notion that Israel’s ethos on firearms differs from that of the United States. Both countries can be characterized a

Related Books & Audiobooks