San Francisco officials confirmed the identity of a second victim connected to a cabin cruiser that capsized in the San Francisco Bay on July 14, as search-and-recovery teams continue work around the wreckage.
The San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on July 16 named the deceased as Tondra Miller, 58, of Sacramento County, also known as Tondra Madruga. The body was recovered from the water west of Treasure Island earlier that day by San Francisco Police Department marine officers, who were conducting sonar scans when another vessel reported a person in the water.
San Francisco Police Department officials said the recovered person was declared dead at the scene. The identity statement follows the earlier confirmed death of a 79-year-old man and leaves three people still missing in the incident.
What emergency crews say happened
The San Francisco Fire Department received calls reporting a vessel in distress in the vicinity of Alcatraz on the afternoon of July 14. In an initial account, Fire Chief Dean Crispen said the call came in at 3:37 p.m.
"A vessel in distress or on fire approximately 600 yards off Alcatraz Island at 3:37 p.m. on July 14," Chief Dean Crispen said.
Authorities reported that the 49-foot cabin cruiser departed from St. Francis Yacht Club and that witnesses described rough seas; the vessel reportedly was either hit by a wave or took on water and capsized. Seventeen people were retrieved from the water. One man from that group was later declared dead, and three people who were taken to a hospital were released.
Ongoing search and recovery
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its active search for the missing on the evening of July 15 after a multi-agency effort that covered more than 950 square nautical miles. San Francisco Police Department marine units, however, continued recovery operations, including sonar scanning and attempts to locate the sunken cabin cruiser.
Police estimate the wreck rests at about 120 feet on a rocky seabed. The department said on July 16 that efforts to find the three missing people and to recover the vessel remain ongoing.
- Date of incident: July 14
- Vessel: 49-foot cabin cruiser (registered to a Stockton man)
- Location reported: ~600 yards off Alcatraz Island; body later found west of Treasure Island
- Recovered: 17 people rescued; 2 confirmed dead; 3 missing as of July 16
- Wreck depth (estimate): 120 feet on rocky seabed
Local impact and next steps
The incident underscores hazards for recreational boating in the Bay, particularly when conditions are rough. City and federal agencies typically coordinate in maritime incidents; in this case the Coast Guard and San Francisco police and fire departments were all involved. Recovery of the sunken vessel could aid investigators trying to determine exactly how the cruiser capsized and whether additional safety or regulatory steps should be recommended.
| Status | Number |
|---|---|
| Rescued and released | 3 |
| Recovered deceased | 2 |
| Missing | 3 |
San Francisco police asked anyone with information about the incident or who may have witnessed conditions on the water that day to contact their Marine Unit. Further updates will come from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the agencies conducting the recovery and any ensuing investigation.
