Coast Guard ends search for three boaters after Alcatraz disaster

Published July 16, 2026 12:51pm ET | Updated July 16, 2026 12:51pm ET



The Coast Guard announced it ended the search Wednesday evening for three people who went missing after a pontoon boat sank in the San Francisco Bay.

The boat was carrying 20 people participating in a memorial service when it capsized in turbulent waters roughly 600 yards from Alcatraz Island on Tuesday, resulting in the death of one person, 79-year-old former Sutter County sheriff’s deputy Clifford Joseph Boisa. While most were rescued by “good Samaritans” out on the water, first responders continued the search for three victims who remain categorized as missing.

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