Wreckage of sunken vessel found as 2 people remain missing after San Francisco boat tragedy
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Police discovered Friday the wreckage of a boat that sank this week in the San Francisco Bay after recovering the body of a missing person the day before.
The body was identified as Tondra Madruga, 58, also known as Tondra Miller, the San Francisco medical examiner said Friday. She was one of three people missing after the Volare, a 49-foot (15-meter) cabin cruiser, sank Wednesday afternoon with 20 people aboard after being hit by a wave and capsizing. The group was on the boat to scatter the ashes of a loved one.
The San Francisco Police Department’s Marine Unit located on Friday the submerged wreckage of the Volare in the vicinity of where it sank.
The boat was believed to be submerged on the rocky seabed in water 120 feet (36 meters) deep. The marine unit has been using boat-mounted sonar to locate the vessel, and is now using a remotely operated vehicle to assess the wreckage and determine if it can be recovered safely, police said.
Madruga’s body was recovered Thursday by the marine unit two days after the boat sank.
“Our family is heartbroken by the loss of our beloved mother, daughter, sister, and aunt, Tondra Madruga,” family member Quin Madruga said on Facebook. “Our hearts remain with every family impacted, and we sincerely appreciate your kindness and understanding.”
One man, Clifford Boisa, died immediately after being retrieved from the chilly water. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended search efforts Wednesday evening but police are still looking for the two missing. The rest were rescued by good Samaritans and first responders as the boat capsized.
Ralph Boisa said his extended family and close friends were on the boat Tuesday to celebrate the life of his daughter, who died over a decade ago. Madruga was a friend.
The two people who remain missing are Ralph Boisa’s sister, Carol, and Clifford Boisa’s wife, Jackie, he said.
Madruga’s body was discovered in San Francisco Bay near Treasure Island, a former naval station, when a boater first reported it, police said.
The bay is notorious for its strong currents, and within hours of the boat’s sinking, rescuers were also searching the open ocean beyond the Golden Gate Bridge.
Crews searched more than 800 square miles (over 2,000 square kilometers), according to the Coast Guard. That is an area roughly half the size of Rhode Island.