Apple Engineer Killed in Golden Gate Bridge Boat Crash Identified as Father of Three

Daniel Zhengyu Qin, 35, of San Jose, has been identified as the man who died following a boat crash under the Golden Gate Bridge on September 17. Qin succumbed to his injuries at a Marin County hospital after his fishing vessel collided with rocks near Lime Point around 6:10 a.m.

Qin was a software engineer at Apple and is survived by his wife, Yao Deng, and three young children. A family friend, Cathy Wu, described Qin as a "beloved software engineer at Apple, a devoted husband, and a loving father to three young children—an 11-year-old son and two younger daughters, 9 and 3 years old."

Wu has launched a fundraising campaign to support Qin's family, citing the "unimaginable loss, both emotionally and financially" his wife is facing. The campaign aims to cover funeral expenses and living costs for the surviving family. According to the fundraiser, Qin was known for his kindness, generosity, and willingness to help friends.

Captain Ben Mechling, a USCG Master Mariner, witnessed the incident and alerted authorities. Mechling reported seeing the boat traveling at approximately 25 knots toward the rocky shoreline under the bridge. "When the boat was cutting across my bow, I noticed it was going into a place where normally you wouldn’t go. … It was going about 25 knots. I paid attention to it, and it smacked right into the rocks," Mechling stated. He captured the event on video.

A multi-agency rescue effort quickly mobilized. Rescuers found three individuals aboard the capsized vessel. All were transported to a Marin County hospital with severe injuries. Qin was pronounced dead at the hospital, while the other two individuals remain hospitalized. The exact cause of the collision is under investigation.