A tragic maritime incident occurred in the San Francisco Bay on Tuesday, where a three-deck pontoon vessel sank near the historic Alcatraz Island. U.S. officials confirmed on Wednesday that one person was found dead at the scene, while three others who were initially reported missing are now presumed dead following the conclusion of an extensive search-and-rescue operation.
The island is home to the famous former Alcatraz federal prison, which now serves as a tourist destination. The prison was notorious for being inescapable due to the strong ocean currents and cold Pacific waters that surround it. Alcatraz Island is located about 1 mile (1.6 km) off the shore in the bay.
San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen, in a video posted online by the city's mayor, said responders were dispatched due to a report of a boat on fire, 600 yards off Alcatraz Island around 3:35 p.m. local time (1035 GMT) on Tuesday. Although there were reports that a fire had taken place on the boat, Crispen said, "We now don't have any evidence of that."
Rescuers had found the three-deck pontoon vessel capsized and almost completely underwater. The boat's motor was still running and leaking fuel. San Francisco Fire Department Lieutenant Elias Mariano told AFP news agency that rescuers had used thermal imaging, tide prediction and modeling to help direct search efforts. Mariano described the vessel as a privately owned pontoon pleasure boat, though it remained unclear if it was heading to Alcatraz at the time of its sinking.
Search and rescue teams looked for the missing people throughout the night. Local police and fire teams assisted the Coast Guard during the operation, which saw planes, boats, and helicopters deployed. The Coast Guard called off the search operation at around sunset on Wednesday evening after hopes of finding the missing people alive all but vanished.
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