First look at doomed Alcatraz boat wreck as crews face tough decision
The doomed family memorial boat that sunk near Alcatraz has been found lying 130 feet beneath San Francisco Bay, but the wreck is so deep that crews are still deciding whether it can safely be brought back to the surface.
The San Francisco Police Department announced Friday that its Marine Unit tracked down the sunken 49-foot cabin cruiser, Volare, after days of searching with boat-mounted sonar following Tuesday’s deadly disaster.
Police are now using a remotely operated underwater vehicle to inspect the wreckage while working with partner agencies to determine whether the vessel can safely be raised.
The Volare is resting between 120 and 130 feet below the surface in a heavily dredged shipping channel about 600 yards west of Alcatraz Island.
The yacht vanished beneath the bay at about 3:35 p.m. Tuesday while carrying 20 close friends and relatives gathered for an memorial service to scatter the ashes of John and Clifford Boisa’s deceased daughter and niece.
Investigators believe the three-deck vessel was struck by a massive wave in the notoriously rough waters of the bay.
The impact caused the boat to list sharply to starboard, begin flooding and roll over.
Authorities are also investigating whether the distribution of passengers across the boat’s three decks affected its stability when the wave hit.
Witnesses reported some passengers were hurled into the frigid bay while others appeared trapped inside the lower cabin as the boat disappeared beneath the surface.
Only about half of those aboard were wearing life jackets.
Nearby civilian boaters, along with crews from the San Francisco Police Department, San Francisco Fire Department and the US Coast Guard, rescued 16 people from the water.
Boat owner, captain, and US Navy veteran John Boisa survived the sinking.
His older brother, 79-year-old Clifford Joseph Boisa of Sutter County, was rescued alive Tuesday but later died from cardiac arrest and exposure.
The second confirmed victim, 58-year-old Tondra Miller, also known as Tondra Madruga, of Sacramento County, was found Thursday afternoon floating near Treasure Island after being spotted by a passing vessel.
Two family members remain missing and are presumed dead: Clifford’s wife, Jackie Boisa, and his sister, Carol Boisa.
The Coast Guard ended its desperate search Wednesday evening after covering more than 950 square nautical miles.
The mission has since shifted to recovery efforts.
Getting the boat back will not be easy.
Resting 120 to 130 feet below the surface in dark, fast-moving water, the vessel is beyond the range of local public safety dive teams.
At that depth, standard scuba diving carries serious risks, including nitrogen narcosis and lengthy decompression requirements, forcing crews to rely on specialized salvage divers, custom gas mixtures such as Trimix and remotely operated vehicles.
For now, investigators are relying on sonar and underwater robots as the recovery effort continues for the two missing family members.
Police said the investigation into what caused the Volare to sink remains ongoing.
“Our hearts go out to all the individuals involved in this tragic incident,” the San Francisco Police Department said in a statement. “The SFPD would like to thank all our partner agencies and members of the public for their quick actions during the rescue and for their tireless work on the response and search for the missing individuals.”