A 49-foot cabin cruiser, the Volare, capsized in the San Francisco Bay on Tuesday, resulting in one confirmed death and three missing passengers. The vessel was carrying 20 family members and friends who had gathered to scatter the ashes of a relative near Alcatraz Island when the boat encountered rough seas and sank, according to the U.S. Coast Guard and family accounts.
The Sinking of the Volare
The incident occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. as the boat returned to the San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor. According to Ralph Boisa, whose daughter was on board, the vessel was hit by a large wave that caused it to pitch suddenly to the side. The boat began to list heavily and quickly rolled to starboard, trapping some passengers inside the wood-paneled cabin.
Weather conditions at the time were turbulent. A nearby weather station at Fort Point recorded winds between 20 and 22 mph, with gusts reaching 30 mph. Tides were pulling in the opposite direction of the wind, creating whitecaps in one of the deepest sections of the bay, roughly 1½ miles from shore.
Did You Know?
The Volare was a 1980s trawler that featured a refrigerator painted with the words “love” and “faith.” Its captain, John Boisa, was a former naval officer who had previously piloted the vessel to San Diego, according to family members.
Rescue Efforts and Casualties
Nearby boaters and authorities initiated a rescue operation immediately after the Volare began to founder. Captain Aaron Anfinson of the fishing vessel Bass-Tub diverted his own charter to assist, with his crew using a swim ladder and life rings to pull passengers from the water. A kiteboarder was also among the first to reach the scene, aiding four or five survivors who were clinging to his board.
First responders, including the San Francisco Police Department and the U.S. Coast Guard, recovered 17 people from the water. Despite resuscitation attempts by police marine unit officers at Gashouse Cove Marina, 79-year-old Clifford Boisa was pronounced dead. Three others—Carol Boisa, 74, Jackie Boisa, and an unidentified family friend—remain missing. U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Jarod Toczko stated it is “highly likely” these individuals were trapped inside the cabin as the vessel sank to the bay floor, at least 120 feet below the surface.
Because the Volare likely sits in a deep channel used by commercial shipping traffic, authorities face both environmental depth constraints and the need to coordinate with maritime logistics to locate the wreckage using underwater drones.
Ongoing Investigation and Recovery
The U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed that the Volare was up to date on its documentation, with a certificate valid through 2030. Investigators have not yet determined the specific mechanical or environmental factors that caused the boat to lose stability so rapidly. By Wednesday night, the search for the three missing passengers had been called off.
A possible next step involves the use of underwater drones to locate the vessel, which currently rests in a deep channel. If the wreckage is successfully located, officials will evaluate whether salvaging the boat is feasible. For now, the cause of the capsize remains under investigation by the Coast Guard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the purpose of the boat trip?
The group of 20 family members and friends had gathered to scatter the ashes of Maria Boisa, who died in 2015.
Were there life jackets on board?
First responders reported that some passengers were wearing life jackets when they were pulled from the water, while others were not.
Why haven’t divers reached the boat?
The vessel sank to a depth of at least 120 feet, which is too deep for local fire divers to access safely.
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