The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for three passengers missing from a Stockton-based cabin cruiser that sank this week in San Francisco Bay.
The 49-foot boat was on a family cruise to scatter the ashes of a loved one when it heeled over and capsized in moderately rough seas Tuesday near Alcatraz. The 20 aboard were all friends or family, including the skipper.
Coast Guard records show the owners of the boat are John Boisa and Miriam Boisa of Stockton. ABC10 reported that he was a member of the Stockton Yacht Club.
In the immediate aftermath of the accident, a fleet of private boats along with the Coast Guard and the San Francisco Fire Department rushed to help. One kite-surfer managed to save several victims by having them cling to his board until they could be safely transferred to a rescue vessel. In all, 16 people were safely plucked from the cold, choppy waters.
One man, Clifford Boisa, 79, of Sutter County, died shortly after being pulled out of the water. Clifford’s dog also died.
▶ RELATED: 3 missing after Stockton boat sinks in San Francisco Bay, killing 1
Ralph Boisa, who lives in Washington and couldn’t make it for the excursion, said his extended family and a few close friends were on John’s boat Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the life of his daughter, who died over a decade ago and was in her 30s.
“We’ve gone through a lot of tragedy over the years,” Ralph told The Associated Press.
He said the three people still missing are his sister Carol; Clifford’s wife, Jackie; and his daughter’s friend.
While the operation shifts from rescue to recovery, Coast Guard Capt. Jared Toczko said it’s possible the three missing passengers may have been trapped aboard the triple-decker pleasure craft Volare when it capsized and sank near Alcatraz.
“There is a high possibility that individuals could have been trapped inside the vessel,” Toczko said during a Wednesday afternoon news conference.
“We do know individuals were in the main deck and potentially below deck,” he said. Witnesses described seeing people pounding on glass windows, trapped as the boat sank.
Toczko said 11 Coast Guard vessels and four aircraft had searched 950 square miles in an effort to locate the three missing persons. He said crews have identified the location the boat sank but have yet to determine its depth.
Still, given that the boat now rests at the bottom of the bay — some 130 feet underwater — there’s no way to mount a rescue. It’s too deep for conventional scuba divers, officials said.
The head of San Francisco police’s Special Operations Bureau, Cmdr. Brien Hoo, said the department is investigating whether the boat could be brought to the surface.
“Suspending a search is one of the hardest parts of our job and our condolences are with the families of all involved,” Toczko said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.