One confirmed dead and multiple others missing following capsized boat in San Francisco Bay

A triple-deck pontoon boat with 19 people aboard capsized near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday.
Text: Alex Hopley
Published 2026-07-15

Following a triple-deck pontoon boat capsizing on Tuesday, at least one person has died and two more have been declared missing by authorities. Local news showed the boat sinking under the water's surface at San Francisco Bay, near Alcatraz Island.

Via Reuters, San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen said that eleven rescue vessels searched for the missing people, but were unable to find them when he spoke to a press conference. The cause of the sinking is unknown, and rumours of a fire aboard the boat have since been debunked.

Of all 19 passengers, 13 made it safely ashore, while three were taken to hospital. One person unfortunately died, and two more are declared missing. "We are still conducting an active search of the area. 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," Crispen said.

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