San Francisco, CA – On the afternoon of Tuesday, July 14, 2026, a boat capsized near Alcatraz Island during a memorial service, resulting in the death of Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79, of Sutter County, and left two others missing and presumed dead: his wife, Jackie Boisa, and his sister, Carol Boisa, according to KRON.
A third person initially reported missing, Tondra Miller, 58, a close friend of the family, was recovered deceased on Thursday afternoon near Treasure Island.
Authorities said a group of 20 family members and friends had gathered aboard the 49-foot cabin cruiser Volare to spread the ashes of Maria Boisa, a nurse who had died a decade earlier at age 32 and was Clifford’s niece, when a powerful wave struck the vessel and caused it to roll and rapidly take on water.
The boat, which had three decks, sank approximately 130 feet to the ocean floor. Sixteen people were rescued, including Clifford Boisa’s daughter and her family of five. Clifford Boisa was pulled from the cold water but died soon after. The San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner formally identified both Clifford Boisa and Miller following their deaths.
Jackie and Carol Boisa remained missing as of Thursday morning. Coast Guard officials said their bodies may still be inside the sunken vessel, along with any other unrecovered remains, given that some passengers may have been on the main deck or below deck when it went down. Neither the Coast Guard nor the San Francisco Fire Department has officially released the names of the missing, though family members identified them to KRON.
A 24-hour search and rescue effort covering 950 square nautical miles by air and sea was suspended at sunset Wednesday without locating Jackie or Carol. U.S. Coast Guard Captain Jarod Tosczko said reaching the wreckage would be extremely difficult even for expert dive teams, and the San Francisco Police Department is working to determine whether recovering the boat from the bay will be possible.
Investigators are still working to determine the official cause of the accident.
San Francisco Boating Accidents and Wrongful Death Claims
California law requires vessel operators to exercise reasonable care for the safety of passengers, including accounting for weather and sea conditions before and during a voyage. When a vessel capsizes and results in the deaths of passengers, investigators with California law enforcement and federal maritime authorities examine the vessel’s condition, the operator’s decisions, and the conditions at the time to determine whether negligence contributed to the incident.
Regardless of the findings, the families of those who died may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim. A wrongful death claim can provide the families with compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, loss of consortium, and other damages related to the fatal accident. Even if the victims were personally acquainted with the at-fault party, a wrongful death claim may be required in order to provide fair compensation from their insurer.
San Francisco Wrongful Death Lawyer
If you or someone you love was harmed in an accident like the one described here, near Alcatraz Island, contact a California wrongful death lawyer for any questions or to receive a no-cost, no-obligation case assessment.
