A recreational triple-deck pontoon carrying 19 people overturned near Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay on Tuesday, resulting in one fatality and two people unaccounted for, officials said.
San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen, speaking at a press conference near the scene, said responders were still actively searching the area. He said 11 vessels were deployed to look for the two missing people.
Local television footage captured the craft nearly submerged with only its upper structure visible above the water, and later showed the vessel sinking beneath the surface.
The U.S. Coast Guard joined other agencies on the search-and-rescue mission, Crispen said. Authorities have not established what caused the boat to capsize. Crispen also clarified that, contrary to early reports, there was no fire aboard the vessel.
According to Crispen, a police boat arrived first at the scene and discovered a critically injured person. Emergency responders provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but the patient did not survive.
Of the 19 people on board, 13 reached shore safely and three were transported to hospital for treatment. One person died and two remained missing as the search continued.
"We are still conducting an active search of the area," Crispen said. "We have 11 vessels on the water conducting that search. We are going to continue for hours to make sure that we find these two missing people, if possible."
Video from the scene showed pleasant, sunny weather, but also indicated strong eastbound currents creating white caps in the bay. Those conditions were visible as rescuers worked on the water.
Alcatraz context
The incident occurred near Alcatraz, a rocky island in San Francisco Bay that once housed a federal prison from 1934 to 1963. The prison was widely regarded as escape-proof due to strong currents and cold waters. Today the island is a National Historic Landmark overseen by the National Park Service.
The search effort remains ongoing as agencies coordinate on the water. Officials have limited information about the cause and have not indicated when the search might be concluded.