Rescuers are searching for three missing passengers after a boat carrying 20 people sank near Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, leaving one dead.
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The passengers were reportedly family members gathered for a memorial.
The incident occurred on July 14, around 3:37 p.m. local time, when officials received multiple 911 calls about a vessel in distress in the San Francisco Bay, according to a San Francisco Fire Department statement. Several agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard and private vessels in the vicinity, rushed to respond to the scene.
Harrowing footage shows yesterday’s rescue efforts.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA: A three-deck Volare boat believed to be carrying 20 people capsized and went down in the waters near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday afternoon. Passengers were scattering ashes during a memorial service when the boat sank.
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) July 15, 2026
One person died and three remain missing… pic.twitter.com/vbUH3sJMoe
When a San Francisco Police Department marine unit arrived, they discovered a 49-foot cabin cruiser named Volare in distress. The boat was registered out of Stockton. Officials noted that bystanders had mistaken steam coming from the boat for smoke.
A large rescue operation saved 16 people, with three hospitalized in stable condition. One passenger and a dog on board died.
“The reports we’ve had from witnesses is that there was rough seas. Apparently, the vessel began to take on water. [It] turned over in the bay,” San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen said, per CBS News.
“Our understanding was there was some sort of memorial service they were engaging in. That’s why they were using this particular vessel,” Crispen added.
Officials established a family reunification center at Fort Mason, west of Fisherman’s Wharf, for the 13 survivors brought safely to shore. Crispen also noted that the rescue effort involved the Oakland Police Department’s marine unit, the Coast Guard, and nearby private vessels.
The Coast Guard and San Francisco Fire Department continue to search for the three individuals. Authorities are using thermal imaging, tide prediction, and modeling to guide their efforts.