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SANTA CRUZ, California – Rescuers are frantically searching for around 30 people, missing after a fire destroyed their boat near Santa Cruz Island, in California.

Thirty-eight people were on board according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Four bodies have been recovered so far, while 29 people remain missing.

Five people were rescued by a boat that came on the scene.

The fire erupted on the commercial diving boat Conception in the early hours of Monday morning.

The boat was anchored just near Santa Cruz Island, which is about 145 kilometres (90 miles) west of Los Angeles.

The vessel is now submerged with a potion of the bow sticking out.

The Coast Guard received a mayday call at 03:30am local time (10:30 GMT), saying the boat was in flames, according to Capt Monica Rochester, the Coast Guard Sector Commander for Long Beach, Ventura County.

Most of those on board were believed to have been asleep when the fire broke out, and may have bene trapped by it.

Those rescued are believed to have jumped from the inferno.

Only one of those rescued was injured, and the injury is considered minor.

The Conception was used for chartered trips in the Channel Islands National Park.

A hotline has been set up for family of people who may have been on board at the time of tragedy: (833) 688-5551.

(Photo Credit: CBSLA via USCG).