SAN FRANCISCO, July 15 (San Francisco News Online) — San Francisco fire crews rescued 17 people from the water near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday after a pontoon boat emergency, and one person required CPR as crews continued searching for at least one missing person, officials said.
San Francisco Fire Lt. Mariano Elias said the emergency call came in just after 3:30 p.m. for a pontoon pleasure boat about 600 yards from Alcatraz.
Chief Dean Crispen said crews found a three-deck pontoon vessel carrying 19 people and later determined they had no evidence of a fire, even though the incident was first reported that way. He said one person who had been pulled from the water later died, and a dog on the boat died as well.
Crispen said the response included divers, helicopters and 11 vessels, with help from the U.S. Coast Guard and Oakland police. Rescued passengers were taken to Gashouse Cove Marina.
Mayor Daniel Lurie said the city was conducting an active search and called it an all-hands-on-deck effort. KTVU reported that 13 rescued people were taken to a family reunification center at Fort Mason, where the Human Services Agency and the American Red Cross were providing services.
