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One Dead, Three Missing After Pontoon Boat Capsizes Near Alcatraz Island
A 50‑foot pontoon boat named Volare overturned in San Francisco Bay Tuesday afternoon, killing one passenger and leaving three others missing. The capsizing occurred about 600 yards off Alcatraz Island, near the San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor.
The vessel was carrying 20 people, including 62‑year‑old captain John Boisa and his 79‑year‑old brother, Clifford Joseph Boisa. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified Clifford as the sole fatality. His wife, his sister Carol, and a relative named Ralph remain missing. Sixteen passengers were rescued and later released from local hospitals.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) suspended its active search at sunset Wednesday and will transition to recovery operations. Captain Jarod Toczko, sector commander for the USCG, told reporters that the search area had been "completely saturated." He added, "Despite that extensive effort, we have been unsuccessful in locating any survivors within the search area." The 130‑foot‑deep bay makes diving operations particularly challenging.
The San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) first answered a distress call at 3:37 p.m. Tuesday. Fire Chief Dean Crispen reported that Marine Unit officers spotted a man in severe distress near the capsized vessel. CPR was attempted, but the man was pronounced dead after being transported to Gas House Cove in the Marina District. Three passengers, including the boat’s captain, were injured and later released from hospitals.
SFFD officials also confirmed that a dog aboard the boat died in the sinking. Witnesses who assisted in the rescue noted that some passengers were inside lower levels of the pontoon when it capsized. Toczko said there is a “high possibility” that the missing passengers were trapped in the vessel.
The incident unfolded during a memorial service for the boat’s owners’ adopted daughter, Maria, who died in 2016. Ralph Boisa, 77, said many family members had gathered for the event. The boat’s name, Volare, was registered by the USCG and was theoretically capable of carrying 20 passengers.
SFFD and USCG crews used thermal imaging and tide‑prediction tools to aid the search. Marine officials noted that surface chop and wind made the use of a sonar towfish difficult. "The water lacks visibility," said David McMurdie, co‑founder of California Recovery Divers. "It’s a blackout condition. When you get down to the bottom, you might have enough visibility to see your hand if you put it out in front of you, and you might not."
The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) will take over the recovery effort once the search ends. Commander Brian Hoo said the department will work with private diving companies but will not know if pulling the boat out is feasible until it is located.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about pontoon boat safety. In 2024, California’s State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways recorded 47 fatalities from recreational boating incidents. While fatalities in the San Francisco Bay are relatively rare—zero deaths were reported in 2019—the incident underscores the risks associated with operator inexperience and lack of safety gear. The boat’s owner reportedly did not carry a life raft, and some passengers were not wearing life jackets.
Fishing boat captain Aaron Anfinson, of the Bass Tub, observed that several passengers had not been wearing life jackets and that no life raft was visible. He said he and his crew supplied life jackets after repeated attempts to get the passengers to wear them.
The SFFD and USCG continue to search the bay, but officials have stated that the search will shift to recovery operations after sunset Wednesday. Mayor Daniel Lurie said, "We will keep you posted, and let’s just keep everybody in our thoughts."
The investigation will determine the exact cause of the capsizing. The USCG holds the last known location of the vessel but has not yet identified the final sinking point. The incident is being investigated under California boating regulations, which require vessels 16 feet or longer to carry a wearable life jacket for each person on board and a throwable device.
As of now, one person has died, three remain missing, and 16 passengers have been rescued. The USCG will hand the case over to the SFPD for recovery efforts, and the investigation will continue to assess safety compliance and potential violations.
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of life‑jacket use and proper safety equipment on recreational vessels, especially in the cold, tidal waters of San Francisco Bay.
The vessel was carrying 20 people, including 62‑year‑old captain John Boisa and his 79‑year‑old brother, Clifford Joseph Boisa. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified Clifford as the sole fatality. His wife, his sister Carol, and a relative named Ralph remain missing. Sixteen passengers were rescued and later released from local hospitals.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) suspended its active search at sunset Wednesday and will transition to recovery operations. Captain Jarod Toczko, sector commander for the USCG, told reporters that the search area had been "completely saturated." He added, "Despite that extensive effort, we have been unsuccessful in locating any survivors within the search area." The 130‑foot‑deep bay makes diving operations particularly challenging.
The San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) first answered a distress call at 3:37 p.m. Tuesday. Fire Chief Dean Crispen reported that Marine Unit officers spotted a man in severe distress near the capsized vessel. CPR was attempted, but the man was pronounced dead after being transported to Gas House Cove in the Marina District. Three passengers, including the boat’s captain, were injured and later released from hospitals.
SFFD officials also confirmed that a dog aboard the boat died in the sinking. Witnesses who assisted in the rescue noted that some passengers were inside lower levels of the pontoon when it capsized. Toczko said there is a “high possibility” that the missing passengers were trapped in the vessel.
The incident unfolded during a memorial service for the boat’s owners’ adopted daughter, Maria, who died in 2016. Ralph Boisa, 77, said many family members had gathered for the event. The boat’s name, Volare, was registered by the USCG and was theoretically capable of carrying 20 passengers.
SFFD and USCG crews used thermal imaging and tide‑prediction tools to aid the search. Marine officials noted that surface chop and wind made the use of a sonar towfish difficult. "The water lacks visibility," said David McMurdie, co‑founder of California Recovery Divers. "It’s a blackout condition. When you get down to the bottom, you might have enough visibility to see your hand if you put it out in front of you, and you might not."
The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) will take over the recovery effort once the search ends. Commander Brian Hoo said the department will work with private diving companies but will not know if pulling the boat out is feasible until it is located.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about pontoon boat safety. In 2024, California’s State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways recorded 47 fatalities from recreational boating incidents. While fatalities in the San Francisco Bay are relatively rare—zero deaths were reported in 2019—the incident underscores the risks associated with operator inexperience and lack of safety gear. The boat’s owner reportedly did not carry a life raft, and some passengers were not wearing life jackets.
Fishing boat captain Aaron Anfinson, of the Bass Tub, observed that several passengers had not been wearing life jackets and that no life raft was visible. He said he and his crew supplied life jackets after repeated attempts to get the passengers to wear them.
The SFFD and USCG continue to search the bay, but officials have stated that the search will shift to recovery operations after sunset Wednesday. Mayor Daniel Lurie said, "We will keep you posted, and let’s just keep everybody in our thoughts."
The investigation will determine the exact cause of the capsizing. The USCG holds the last known location of the vessel but has not yet identified the final sinking point. The incident is being investigated under California boating regulations, which require vessels 16 feet or longer to carry a wearable life jacket for each person on board and a throwable device.
As of now, one person has died, three remain missing, and 16 passengers have been rescued. The USCG will hand the case over to the SFPD for recovery efforts, and the investigation will continue to assess safety compliance and potential violations.
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of life‑jacket use and proper safety equipment on recreational vessels, especially in the cold, tidal waters of San Francisco Bay.
