#DC-0040
San Francisco Bay boat sinking
Active · still building data
last updated 16 July 2026 · 4 sources
Confirmed facts
14
Open questions
5
Fatalities
1
Missing
3
Rescued
16
Charges
None reported
This case is still developing. Get an email when the file updates.
Timeline of what's confirmed14 entries
14 July 2026 afternoon
CBS San Francisco reported that the boat capsized about 600 yards from Alcatraz at about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
CBS San Francisco
15 July 2026
AP reported that U.S. Coast Guard crews searched San Francisco Bay on Wednesday for three people missing after a boat capsized the previous day with 20 family members and friends aboard.
AP
15 July 2026
AP reported that Clifford Boisa died shortly after being pulled from the water, 16 people were rescued, and Clifford Boisa's dog also died.
AP
15 July 2026
CBS San Francisco reported that the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified the person who died as Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79.
CBS San Francisco
15 July 2026
CBS San Francisco reported that three other passengers were treated for impact injuries from jumping into the water and were later released, while 13 other passengers were brought safely to shore.
CBS San Francisco
15 July 2026
CBS San Francisco reported that U.S. Coast Guard Commander Jarod Toczko said the Coast Guard would suspend the search at sunset on Wednesday after 23 hours of searching.
CBS San Francisco
15 July 2026
CBS San Francisco reported that Toczko said crews had searched more than 950 square nautical miles and 1,700 miles of track line.
CBS San Francisco
15 July 2026
AP reported that Toczko said crews had identified the location where the boat sank but had not yet determined how deep it sank.
AP
15 July 2026
AP reported that San Francisco Police Commander Brien Hoo said officials would send divers or an underwater drone once the boat was located to determine whether salvage was feasible.
AP
15 July 2026
CBS San Francisco reported that officials said recovery crews would use sonar to locate the vessel on the bay floor and determine whether it could be raised to the surface.
CBS San Francisco
15 July 2026
AP reported that San Francisco Fire Department Chief Dean Crispen said witnesses reported rough seas and rescuers reported swells up to 5 feet, while marine weather conditions did not warrant a National Weather Service small craft advisory.
AP
15 July 2026
AP reported that Fire Department spokesperson Lt. Mariano Elias said the vessel was named Volare and was registered out of Stockton, California.
AP
15 July 2026
AP reported that VesselFinder data showed the boat departed a San Francisco marina, passed under the Golden Gate Bridge twice, visited Angel Island State Park, and was returning toward San Francisco when it sank near Alcatraz.
AP
14–15 July 2026
Reporting described the vessel in varying terms: AP cited officials calling it a three-deck pontoon vessel or pontoon pleasure boat, while AP and CBS San Francisco also described it as a three-deck, 49-foot cabin cruiser named Volare.
AP; CBS San Francisco
Open questionsunconfirmed · not conclusions
What caused the vessel to capsize and sink?unconfirmed; AP and CBS reported witness accounts and rough-water conditions but no official cause determination · unconfirmed
Where exactly is the vessel on the bay floor and how deep is it?unconfirmed; AP reported crews had identified the sinking location but not the depth · unconfirmed
Can the vessel be safely raised or otherwise salvaged?unconfirmed; AP and CBS reported that officials still needed underwater assessment · unconfirmed
Were all required safety measures and equipment in place and used?unconfirmed; AP and CBS reported life jackets were aboard, but witness accounts varied on who was wearing them · unconfirmed
Has any official investigation reached findings or led to enforcement action?unconfirmed; no charges or findings were reported by AP, CBS San Francisco, or The Guardian in the sources reviewed · unconfirmed
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