San Francisco police recovered a body from the San Francisco Bay on Thursday, continuing the investigation into a deadly boating accident that occurred earlier this week near Alcatraz Island. The body was found west of Treasure Island at approximately 1:02 p.m. by officers from the Marine Unit.
The San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will work to identify the individual and notify next of kin. Officials have not yet confirmed if the recovered body belongs to one of the passengers from the Volare, a 49-foot cabin cruiser that sank Tuesday afternoon about 600 yards off Alcatraz.
The Volare was carrying 20 family members and friends when it began taking on water and subsequently sank. One person has been confirmed dead, 16 were rescued, and three remain missing. The first confirmed victim was identified as 79-year-old Clifford Joseph Boisa of Sutter County.
Initial reports suggested a possible fire aboard the vessel, but investigators found no evidence of one. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its active search efforts on Wednesday evening after nearly 24 hours covering approximately 950 square nautical miles. Rescue crews had noted the possibility of passengers being trapped inside the vessel when it sank.
Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the sinking. San Francisco police Marine Unit officers are continuing efforts to locate the submerged vessel as part of the investigation into one of the bay’s deadliest boating tragedies in recent years. Officials noted that many of the passengers were part of an extended family gathered for a memorial service. None of the rescued passengers were wearing life jackets, and most injuries were sustained during the plunge into the cold water. A dog also died in the incident.