SAN FRANCISCO — One person is dead and three others are still missing after a boat capsized in rough seas between Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge on Tuesday, authorities said.
The 49-foot cabin cruiser was carrying 20 adults
The 49-foot cabin cruiser, identified as the Volare, was documented out of Stockton, California and had departed from San Francisco’s St. Francis Yacht Club, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Most of the 20 adult passengers were relatives or knew one another and had gathered on the vessel for a memorial service, San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen told the newspaper.
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— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) July 15, 2026
San Francisco Fire Department
Multi-Agency Water Rescue Response — San Francisco Bay
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — On July 14, 2026, at approximately 3:37 p.m. PDT, multiple 911 callers reported a vessel in distress on the San Francisco Bay. Multiple public…
Crews arriving near Alcatraz Island found a three-deck pontoon vessel almost fully under water with the motor still running and leaking fuel, KGO reported.
Sixteen people were rescued from the boat, according to the Chronicle. Three were hospitalized in stable condition with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening. The other 13 were taken safely to the shore.
One dog aboard the vessel also died, KGO reported.
Crews from the U.S. Coast Guard and the San Francisco Fire Department continued searching during the night for the three missing people, according to the newspaper.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie praised the work of the first responders.
“The work our first responders have done so far today has been nothing short of heroic,” Lurie wrote in a social media post.
The San Francisco Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to a call at about 3:30 p.m. of a boat fire between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.
Crispen said a police marine unit arrived first after receiving a call at 3:30 p.m. PT and saw a man in the water in “severe distress,” KPIX reported. He was brought onto a boat, where first responders administered CPR. He was taken to Gas House Cove, where he was pronounced dead, according to the television station.
It was not immediately clear what caused the boat to sink about 600 yards off the coast of Alcatraz, KPIX reported. While callers initally reported seeing smoke, authorities found no evidence of a fire, according to the Chronicle.
“Right now we are in full rescue mode,” Crispen told reporters.
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