The search for three individuals missing after a private yacht capsized on San Francisco Bay concluded Wednesday evening, with authorities transitioning from a rescue operation to a recovery mission. One passenger, identified as 79-year-old Clifford Joseph Boisa, died after being pulled from the water.
The 49-foot yacht, named Volare, was carrying 20 family members and friends from Stockton who had gathered for a memorial service to scatter a loved one's ashes. The vessel overturned around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, approximately 600 yards off Alcatraz Island, after being struck by a large wave. It submerged in about 130 feet of water.
Sixteen people were rescued from the bay, with several survivors pulled from the frigid water by nearby fishing boat crews before first responders arrived. Three passengers remained unaccounted for and are feared to be trapped inside the submerged vessel.
The U.S. Coast Guard conducted an extensive search, covering 950 square nautical miles over more than 24 hours before suspending the operation. Captain Jared S. Toczko stated that while investigators could not definitively rule out survival, the possibility of passengers being trapped within the boat was acknowledged.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie described the incident as "heartbreaking" and expressed the city's condolences to those affected. He commended the first responders and private citizens involved in the intensive operation that resulted in the rescue of 16 individuals.
Authorities have located the wreck of the yacht. The next phase of the mission will involve determining the feasibility and safety of using divers or an underwater drone to inspect the vessel.