Boat that sank off Alcatraz Island found by authorities using sonar equipment, officials say

The boat that sank of the shores of Alcatraz Island was located by authorities on Friday, three days after it rolled over during a family outing, leaving at least two people dead and two others missing in the frigid waters of the San Francisco Bay.

The discovery of the Volare — a 49-foot, three-story craft normally harbored in Stockton that was carrying 20 people when it listed and sank — was discovered in the area where it went down Tuesday afternoon, according to the San Francisco Police Department.

Authorities had previously said it rolled over in an area that was about 130 feet deep, about 600 feet off the coast of Alcatraz Island. Since then, officials had been using sonar equipment to scan the bottom of the bay in a search for the boat.

Officials did not immediately report finding any bodies with the wreckage, though authorities earlier said they thought it was “likely” that at least one of the missing people may have been trapped inside. The police department’s marine unit plans to use a remote-controlled craft to try to assess the wreckage; it remains unclear how the agency plans to recover the vessel.

The discovery came shortly after authorities identified a body found Thursday afternoon floating near Treasure Island as one of the three people still missing from the disaster.

Tondra Miller, 58, was among the 20 people thrown into the bay when a wave hit their three-story boat off as it motored near Alcatraz Island, according to the San Francisco Office of the Medical Examiner. The Sacramento County woman is the second person confirmed dead in the disaster.

Also killed in the sinking was Clifford Boisa, 79, the brother of John Boisa, who was the vessel’s owner and operator.

In a Facebook post, a person who said they were a relative identified her as Tondra Madruga, and said her family was “heartbroken by the loss of our beloved mother, daughter, sister, and aunt.” The post thanked first responders and the civilian boaters who rushed to help people cast into the bay on Tuesday, adding that “your dedication and support mean more to our family that words can express.”

The family also thanked people for privacy, and said “our hearts remain with every family impacted, and we sincerely appreciate your kindness and understanding,” according to the post, by Quin Madruga.

John Boisa on Thursday identified the other two people still missing as his sister, Carol Boisa, as well his sister-in-law — and Clifford Boisa’s wife — Jackie Boisa.

Clifford and Jackie Boisa were planning to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in November, according to an online fundraiser to support Clifford’s daughter, Mary Ann Boisa.

All of them were on the 49-foot boat, called the Volare, when a wave hit the craft around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, causing it to list to one side before rolling over. Sixteen people were plucked from the water by emergency crews and by multiple private boaters who arrived on scene first and were later hailed by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie for their “heroic” actions.

The boat had been on a “family outing” that day, John Boisa told this news outlet, that included spreading the ashes of a family member who had died years ago. The boat tracking website VesselFinder showed the boat leaving the city’s Marina Yacht Harbor around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday and traveling beneath the Golden Gate Bridge into the Pacific Ocean, before turning around off Lands End and visiting Angel Island.

The boat appeared to be chugging back in the direction of the harbor when it sank.

The Coast Guard searched for survivors over 950 square nautical miles — an area larger than the size of Yosemite National Park — before ending the rescue operation Wednesday evening.

Jakob Rodgers is a senior breaking news reporter. Call, text or send him an encrypted message via Signal at 510-390-2351, or email him at [email protected].