Daijiworld Media Network – San Francisco

San Francisco, Jul 15: One person was killed and three others remained missing after a boat carrying 20 people participating in a memorial service capsized near Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay on Tuesday afternoon, prompting a major search-and-rescue operation.

According to officials, the victims were aboard a 50-foot, three-deck cabin cruiser based in Stockton when the vessel is believed to have been struck by a large wave in rough waters, causing it to overturn. All those on board were adults, most of them members of the same family attending a memorial service.

"Our understanding was there was some kind of memorial service that they were engaging in. That's why they were using this particular vessel," San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen said during a press conference.

Crispen said personnel from the San Francisco Police Marine Unit found a man in the water in severe distress. He was pulled aboard a rescue boat and administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but was later pronounced dead.

A dog that was also on board the vessel died in the incident.

Rescue teams found several people already in the water when they arrived, while others remained aboard the sinking vessel or were falling into the bay. Thirteen people were rescued safely, while three others were taken to hospital in stable condition and were expected to be discharged later on Tuesday.

The remaining three passengers were still unaccounted for, with the US Coast Guard leading an extensive search operation involving aircraft and surface vessels.

Coast Guard Lieutenant John Corvino said search crews would continue scanning the bay from both the air and water throughout the night in an effort to locate the missing persons.

The San Francisco Fire Department deployed 11 rescue boats along with dive teams as part of the operation.

"We are going to continue for hours to make sure that we find these missing people, if possible," Crispen said.

The vessel had departed from San Francisco's St Francis Yacht Club before the accident.

Television footage showed multiple rescue boats surrounding the capsized vessel, with debris floating in the water. Several survivors were seen wrapped in blankets after being brought ashore.

Local police agencies and privately owned vessels also joined the rescue efforts.

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie described the response as "an all-hands-on-deck search and hopefully rescue."

Officials said windy conditions typically create whitecaps in the bay at this time of year, making rescue operations more challenging. Despite the difficult conditions, authorities said the search would continue as long as it remained safe for emergency personnel.

Alcatraz Island, located about one mile offshore in San Francisco Bay, is home to the former federal prison that closed in 1963 and now operates as a national park and popular tourist attraction.

Crispen said divers, helicopters and rescue boats would continue searching areas where currents may have carried survivors.

"Our standard operating procedure is to continue to search as long as it's safe enough for us to search," he said, adding that the operation would continue for an extended period.