One Dead and Three Missing After Cabin Cruiser Sinks Near Alcatraz Island

One person has died and three remain missing after a 50-foot cabin cruiser carrying 20 people capsized and sank in San Francisco Bay near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday afternoon. Emergency responders, including the San Francisco Fire Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and local police marine units, were dispatched around 3:30 p.m. following initial reports of a boat fire between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, though responders found no evidence of fire upon reaching the scene.

San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen reported that a police marine unit pulled a man in severe distress from the water, but he was pronounced dead after receiving CPR at Gashouse Cove. Out of the 20 adult passengers on board, 13 were safely transported to shore, while three were hospitalized in stable condition, primarily suffering from impact injuries sustained while jumping into the water. Crispen noted that rough sea conditions likely caused the vessel, named the Volare, to take on water and overturn roughly 600 yards off Alcatraz.

Investigators confirmed the Stockton-based vessel had departed from the St. Francis Yacht Club carrying a group composed primarily of family members. According to Chief Crispen, the passengers were reportedly holding a memorial service on the bay when the vessel ran into distress. Authorities established a family reunification center at Fort Mason to support the survivors, with private vessels also assisting first responders during the chaotic initial rescue phase.

Search and rescue operations continued overnight with 11 emergency vessels scouring the waters for the three missing individuals. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie stated that emergency services were conducting an "all-hands-on-deck search and, hopefully, rescue" operation. Authorities have urged anyone seeking information about potential passengers to contact the American Red Cross as investigations into the precise mechanical or environmental causes of the sinking proceed.