San Francisco crews continue an overnight search after a pontoon boat carrying mostly family members sank near Alcatraz Island Tuesday afternoon during a memorial service. Authorities confirmed one death, three people still missing and 16 rescued.
What residents need to know
The vessel, described by San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen as a three-deck boat, was found "almost fully underwater" roughly 600 yards off Alcatraz with its motor still running and leaking fuel, officials said. Rescuers arrived after a bystander report and immediately began life-saving efforts.
- Fatality: Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79, of Sutter County, was pulled from the water and later died.
- Missing: Three people remain unaccounted for; the U.S. Coast Guard is leading ongoing search operations.
- Rescued: 16 people were pulled from the water and transported to shore; several were treated and released.
- Animal: A dog aboard the vessel also died.
Response and search operation
San Francisco Fire Department personnel, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies are using helicopters, dive teams and surface vessels in the search. Officials said they deployed thermal imaging and tide-modeling tools to try to locate the missing people.
"Our understanding was there was some kind of memorial service that they were engaging in,"
Chief Crispen said rescue crews believe the boat was hit by a wave or took on water and then capsized. Authorities treated the situation initially as a rescue mission. The Coast Guard described efforts as ongoing.
| Metric | Count |
|---|---|
| Total aboard | 20 |
| Rescued | 16 |
| Deceased | 1 |
| Missing | 3 |
Local context and next steps
The vessel sank in a deep portion of the shipping channel near the Golden Gate; salvage teams said recovery is difficult there because depths can reach about 120 feet. Officials also noted cold bay temperatures in July, which can complicate survival times for people in the water.
Families and community members in the city may see increased Coast Guard and SFFD activity around the North Bay and western approaches to the Golden Gate as search operations continue. Authorities have not publicly released the identities of the three missing people or additional cause-of-sinking findings beyond the initial account that the boat took on water or was struck by a wave.
The investigation into the sinking and a formal incident review will follow, led by local maritime authorities and the Coast Guard. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact San Francisco emergency services or the U.S. Coast Guard.
