Two men recounted their harrowing experience helping rescue passengers from a Stockton-based cabin cruiser that capsized Tuesday afternoon in San Francisco Bay.
Longshoreman Justin Marceline and commercial fisherman Mike Montoya said they have spent years working on open water and understand the risks that come with the job.
On Tuesday, they witnessed just how dangerous those waters can be.
“It was complete chaos when we showed up,” Marceline said.
How the memorial trip near Alcatraz turned tragic
At about 3:37 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, multiple callers reported a vessel in distress or on fire in San Francisco Bay, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. The boat was about 600 yards off Alcatraz Island.
The first unit to arrive was the San Francisco Police Department’s Marine 3 vessel, which determined that the 50-foot cabin cruiser Volare was taking on water and that witnesses had mistaken steam for smoke. Choppy conditions caused the vessel to flood and eventually capsize, San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen said.
Montoya and Marceline told Reuters they were among the first boaters to reach the scene. They said passengers were clinging to the side of the overturned vessel.
“I could see people that were below the waterline inside the boat, where the windows were covered by water,” Montoya said. “They were banging on the windows trying to break them.”
What we know about the Volare and its Stockton ties
Initially, officials believed 19 people were aboard the boat, but the count later rose to 20 based on witness accounts, Crispen said.
A marine unit spotted a man in the water suffering severe distress. He was pulled aboard a rescue vessel, where responders performed CPR, Crispen said. The man was transported to Gashouse Cove and later pronounced dead.
The victim was identified Wednesday as Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79, of Sutter County, by the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Volare was owned by John Boisa, 62, of Stockton.
Crispen said those on board were mostly adult family members gathered for a memorial service.
Seventeen passengers were rescued from the water. As of Wednesday afternoon, three passengers remained missing.
“Every time we had to grab a person, each of them was either exhausted or frantic,” Marceline said.
As he helped pull passengers to safety, Marceline said he tried to keep them calm.
“I had to say, ‘Look at my eyes right now. Look at me. You’re going to be OK.'”
“I feel blessed to be able to go home tonight,” Montoya added. “There are people who are still missing.”
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This article originally appeared on The Record: Men rescuing family near Alcatraz waters describe chaos as boat sinks
Reporting by Sheyanne N Romero, The Stockton Record / The Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Sheyanne N Romero, The Stockton Record | USA TODAY Network
