One Dead, Two Missing After Pontoon Boat Sinks Near Alcatraz Island
A large search-and-rescue operation pulled 16 people from San Francisco Bay after the three-deck vessel went down Tuesday afternoon.
One person died, two others remained missing and 16 people were rescued Tuesday after a three-deck pontoon boat sank near Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, according to the Washington Examiner and Fox News.
The sinking triggered a large-scale emergency response involving divers, helicopters and multiple agencies. San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen said crews responded shortly after 3:30 p.m. to reports that the recreational vessel had capsized in the bay, according to the Washington Examiner.
Search teams continued looking for the two missing passengers as of Tuesday evening, deploying boats and aircraft across the busy waterway near the former federal prison, one of the region's most heavily trafficked tourist areas. Authorities have not yet said what caused the boat to sink or released the identities of those killed or missing.
The scale of the response, spanning fire, police and coast guard assets, underscored the challenge of the swift-moving currents and cold water common in the bay, factors that have complicated past rescue efforts near the island. Officials said the investigation into the cause of the sinking was ongoing.
— Compiled from reporting by the Washington Examiner and Fox News.