Apple Engineer and Father of Three Killed in San Francisco Bay Boat Crash
Daniel Zhengyu Qin, 35, died after a fishing vessel struck rocks near the Golden Gate Bridge and capsized.
A 35-year-old software engineer at Apple and father of three was killed when a fishing vessel he was aboard struck rocks and capsized near the Golden Gate Bridge in the San Francisco Bay.
Daniel Zhengyu Qin was identified by the Marin County Coroner as the sole fatality in the Thursday morning incident. The boat, carrying three people, went down shortly after 6 a.m. near the bridge's north tower.
Multiple agencies responded to a 911 call, and all three individuals were recovered alive from the water with life-threatening injuries. They were transported to a local hospital, where Qin succumbed to his injuries despite resuscitation efforts, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Office.
An online fundraiser organized by a family friend described Qin as a devoted husband and loving father to an 11-year-old son and two daughters, aged nine and three. He was remembered as "kind, funny, and endlessly generous," always willing to help others.
Qin, his wife Yao Deng, and their children resided in a $1.7 million home in San Diego. The fundraiser aims to gather $200,000 to cover funeral and memorial expenses, as well as the children's living costs.
As of Monday afternoon, the fundraiser had collected over $76,500. The online description noted that Qin's "sudden passing has left his wife and children facing an unimaginable loss, both emotionally and financially."
The U.S. Coast Guard, Southern Marin Fire Protection District, San Francisco Police Department Marine Unit, Sausalito Fire Department, and Marin County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit were involved in the rescue. The Coast Guard reported its crew arrived within five minutes of the distress call and rescued two individuals, while the San Francisco Police Department rescued the third.
Captain Jarod Toczko of Coast Guard Sector San Francisco extended condolences to Qin's family and loved ones, acknowledging the tragic outcome despite the collaborative rescue efforts.
The exact cause of the crash is under investigation, and a post-mortem examination, including toxicology tests, is pending. The manner of Qin's death is also under investigation.
