One dead, three missing after boat capsizes near Alcatraz
A fatal ferry capsizing near Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay has left one dead and three missing, prompting a massive multi-agency search. Senior reporter Claudia Cowan reports live, explaining that the 49-foot cruiser was carrying 20 elderly people to a memorial service when it capsized due to rough seas. Authorities are investigating the exact cause, and recovery efforts are underway in the frigid waters.
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The US Coast Guard suspended its search Wednesday evening for three people still missing after a boat carrying members of an extended family capsized off Alcatraz Island during a memorial cruise in San Francisco Bay.
A 49 meter cabin cruiser sank on Tuesday afternoon with 20 people on board. One person, identified as Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79, of Sutter County, died after being pulled from the water, while 16 others were rescued. The dog on board also died.
Authorities said the group had gathered to scatter the ashes of a loved one during a family memorial service.
MANY HAVE BEEN RESCUED ON PONTOON BOAT NEAR ALCATRAZ AS SEARCH FOR MISSING PEOPLE CONTINUES.
The San Francisco Fire Department and the US Coast Guard continue to search San Francisco Bay for three missing people after a yacht capsized near Alcatraz Island on July 15, 2026. One person died in the incident. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“Setting up an active search is one of the most difficult things we do as Coast Guard commanders,” Coast Guard San Francisco Commander Capt. Jarod Toczko said during a news conference Wednesday. “Our goal is always to bring family loved ones home.”
Toczko said crews searched for about 23 hours using 11 ships and four planes, covering about 950 square nautical miles and a search track of more than 1,700 miles before realizing there was little chance of finding any survivors. The families of the missing were notified before the search was called off.
Officials say the boat was hit by a wave, which was too large, lost stability and overturned before sinking. Toczko said investigators found no evidence of the fire reported by the callers, and concluded that what was thought to be smoke may have been steam from a sinking ship.
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Authorities said the ship had three decks that were closed, and interviews with survivors revealed that other passengers were inside the main and lower decks when the boat capsized. Toczko said that it is still possible that some of the missing passengers were trapped inside when the ship sank, although he emphasized that the investigators have not yet reached a conclusion.
First responders stand next to a body after a boat accident near Alcatraz Island near San Francisco, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
The San Francisco Fire Department said three survivors were taken to local hospitals and later released, while another 13 were treated at a reunification center after being rescued. Fire chief Dean Crispen confirmed that one person and one cat died in the incident.
A general view of Alcatraz Island near San Francisco, California, on Aug. 16, 2024. (Loren Elliott/Getty Images)
Officials believe the boat rests in water about 130 meters deep near where it went down. San Francisco police said crews must first locate the vessel before using a submersible to assess whether it can be safely recovered. Divers generally cannot operate safely at depths greater than 120 meters, officials said.
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Toczko credited Good Samaritans, including nearby fishermen and other boaters, for helping to save lives before emergency crews arrived.
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“Those people saved lives,” he said.
Officials said the cruise ship departed from San Francisco's St. Francis Yacht Club and was visiting Angel Island before the emergency occurred while returning across the harbor. The cause of its sinking is still under investigation.
