One dead, three missing after memorial service boat capsizes near Alcatraz

16 July 2026 · Source balance: Centre

A tragic boating accident unfolded in San Francisco Bay on Tuesday afternoon when a 50-foot cabin cruiser capsized near Alcatraz Island. The vessel was carrying 20 people, mostly family members, who had chartered the boat called the Volare for a memorial service to honor a loved one. The boat was struck by a wave in rough waters and began taking on water, eventually capsizing and sinking. Rescue teams, including the Coast Guard, San Francisco Fire Department, and Good Samaritans, quickly responded to the emergency. Sixteen people were rescued from the cold water, with three hospitalized for injuries and later released. One person, 79-year-old Clifford Joseph Boisa from Sutter County, was pulled from the water severely injured but died despite CPR efforts. A dog also perished in the incident. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended their search Wednesday evening after conducting an intensive 23-hour operation covering 950 square nautical miles with 11 surface vessels and four aircraft. Three people remain missing and are presumed to have potentially been trapped inside the vessel's enclosed decks as it sank. Investigators continue examining what caused the stable, well-maintained cabin cruiser to capsize.