SAN FRANCISCO – At least one person is dead and three others are missing after a boat capsized Tuesday afternoon in San Francisco Bay, according to authorities.
At 3:37 p.m., the San Francisco Fire Department received a report of a vessel in distress or on fire about 600 yards from Alcatraz Island, Fire Chief Dean Crispen said at a news conference.
A San Francisco police marine unit was the first to arrive at the scene and found a man in “severe distress,” Crispen said. He was hauled out of the water and given CPR, but he was later pronounced dead.
Authorities initially believed the vessel – a 49-foot cabin cruiser called the Volare – was carrying 19 people, but the number was later revised to 20 based on witness accounts.
In addition to the man who died, three passengers remained missing Tuesday night. Three others were taken to area hospitals, where they were listed in stable condition.
The rest escaped injury and were taken to Fort Mason to be reunited with loved ones. They were receiving assistance from the the San Francisco Human Services Agency and the American Red Cross.
A dog aboard the vessel was also killed, according to authorities.
Crispen said the Volare set sail from the St. Francis Yacht Club and was being used as part of a memorial service when it was hit by a wave or took on water and capsized.
“This was mostly family members of one another who were on this vessel,” he said.
Initial reports indicated a fire had broken out on the vessel, but authorities later determined witnesses had mistaken steam for smoke, the fire department said in a news release.
The incident drew a large public safety agency response, which included the San Francisco Police Department, Oakland Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard.
As of 8:30 p.m., SFFD and the U.S. Coast Guard were continuing search and rescue operations for the three passengers who were still missing. Teams were using technologies such as thermal imaging, tide prediction and modeling to help direct efforts.
Authorities are planning to provide an update on the operation Wednesday morning.
Search and rescue vessels look for missing victims after a boat accident near Alcatraz Island off San Francisco, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
A body is covered with a tarp on a dock near the site of boat accident on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
A helicopter goes past the Golden Gate Bridge as part of search and rescue efforts near the site of boat accident on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
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Search and rescue vessels look for missing victims after a boat accident near Alcatraz Island off San Francisco, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Check back for updates.