One person has died and three remain missing following the capsizing of a recreational vessel in the San Francisco Bay on Tuesday afternoon, according to local authorities conducting an extensive search and rescue operation.
The San Francisco Fire Department and the United States Coast Guard responded to reports of a vessel in distress at approximately 3:30 p.m. The boat, a fifty-foot cabin cruiser named Volare, was carrying twenty passengers when it encountered trouble in the waters between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island.
Fire Chief Dean Crispen reported that a police marine unit arrived first on scene and discovered a man in the water in severe distress. Despite immediate CPR efforts after pulling him aboard, the man was pronounced dead upon arrival at Gashouse Cove.
Of the twenty passengers aboard, thirteen were brought safely to shore. Three additional passengers sustained injuries and were transported to area hospitals, where they remain in stable condition. Chief Crispen indicated that most injuries resulted from the impact of passengers jumping into the water. Three individuals remain unaccounted for as of Tuesday evening.
The vessel, based out of Stockton, had departed from the St. Francis Yacht Club earlier in the day. Initial reports suggested a fire aboard the craft, though responding firefighters found no evidence of flames upon arrival. According to witness accounts, rough seas caused the vessel to take on water before capsizing approximately six hundred yards from Alcatraz Island.
“The reports we have had from witnesses is that there was rough seas and apparently the vessel began to take on water and was turned over in the bay,” Chief Crispen stated during a press briefing.
Rescue crews deployed eleven vessels in the search effort, with officials pledging to continue operations through the night. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie emphasized the urgency of the mission. “This is an all-hands-on-deck search and, hopefully, rescue,” the mayor said.
Chief Crispen confirmed that all passengers were adults, with most being family members. The group had chartered the vessel for what authorities believe was a memorial service, adding a particularly somber dimension to the tragedy.
The initial rescue operation involved multiple agencies, including the Oakland Police Department’s marine unit, the Coast Guard, and several private vessels that responded to assist. A family reunification center was established at Fort Mason, west of Fisherman’s Wharf, where the thirteen rescued passengers gathered.
The cause of the incident remains under investigation. Authorities have not yet determined whether mechanical failure, weather conditions, or other factors contributed to the vessel taking on water.
The American Red Cross has established a hotline for families seeking information about passengers who may have been aboard the vessel.
As search operations continue into the night, the tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable dangers that can arise even in familiar waters near one of the nation’s most recognizable landmarks.
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