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1 dead, 3 missing after boat sinks near Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay

Passengers who were injured during a boat incident are treated by emergency services at Gashouse Cove on July 14, 2026 in San Francisco, California. A rescue mission continues after 16 people were rescued and two remain missing. One death has been reported. Heather Diehl/Getty Images

(SAN FRANCISCO) — One person is dead and three others are missing after a boat with more than a dozen passengers aboard capsized and sank in San Francisco Bay near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday, according to local authorities.

Authorities said they believe 20 people were aboard the Volare, a 50-foot cabin cruiser based out of Stockton, California, when it was hit by a wave, causing it to capsize.

The person who died was taken to the shore severely injured and, despite CPR being administered, was pronounced dead, officials said. He has not been identified but authorities said he was an adult male.

Three people were taken to the hospital and reported to be in stable condition. They were expected to be released later Tuesday.

San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen told reporters that authorities believe that there was some kind of memorial service that the 20 passengers, all adults and mostly comprised of family members, were engaging in on the vessel when it capsized.

The U.S. Coast Guard will continue the search-and-rescue efforts for the three missing passengers overnight.

The San Francisco Fire Department said it initially received a call for a fire on the boat at 3:30 p.m. local time. However, authorities said they haven’t yet seen evidence that there was a fire on board.

The U.S. Coast Guard, along with several local authorities, helped respond to the incident.

Rescue swimmers and scuba divers were also deployed.

Earlier, authorities said they believed there were 19 people aboard and that they were looking for two missing passengers.

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Maine lifeguard ‘started swimming like hell’ when shark pulled him underwater

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