On Friday, police recovered the wreckage of a boat that sank earlier in the week in San Francisco Bay, following the identification of a missing person’s body the previous day.
The body was identified as Tondra Madruga, 58, also known as Tondra Miller, according to the San Francisco medical examiner. She was one of three individuals reported missing after the 49‑foot (15‑metre) cabin cruiser Volare capsized on Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a wave, with twenty people aboard. The passengers were on board to scatter the ashes of a loved one.
The San Francisco Police Department’s marine unit located the submerged wreckage of the Volare near the site where it went down.
Investigators believe the vessel rests on a rocky seabed in approximately 120 feet (36 metres) of water. Using boat‑mounted sonar, the marine unit has been pinpointing the ship’s location and is now deploying a remotely operated vehicle to inspect the wreckage and assess whether it can be safely raised, police said.
Madruga’s body was retrieved by the marine unit.
“Our family is devastated by the loss of our beloved mother, daughter, sister, and aunt, Tondra Madruga,” said family member Quin Madruga on Facebook. “Our thoughts remain with every family affected, and we sincerely thank everyone for their kindness and understanding.”
One man, Clifford Boisa, died shortly after being pulled from the cold water. The U.S. Coast Guard halted its search on Wednesday evening, but police continue to look for the two remaining missing individuals. The other passengers were rescued by good Samaritans and first responders as the boat overturned.
Ralph Boisa said his extended family and close friends were aboard the vessel on Tuesday to honor the life of his daughter, who passed away more than ten years ago. Madruga was a friend of the family.
The two people still unaccounted for are Ralph Boisa’s sister, Carol, and Clifford Boisa’s wife, Jackie, he noted.
Madruga’s body was found in San Francisco Bay near Treasure Island, a former naval installation, after a boater first reported it, according to police.
The bay is notorious for its strong currents, and within hours of the capsizing, rescue teams were also combing the open ocean beyond the Golden Gate Bridge.
Search crews have covered more than 800 square miles (over 2,000 square kilometres), the Coast Guard reported—an area roughly half the size of Rhode Island.
