FULL PRESSER: 3 missing from capsized boat in SF Bay

Good evening, my name is Lieutenant Mariano Elias, Media Affairs for the San Francisco Fire Department and this incident. I'm going to introduce to you the Chief of the Fire Department, Chief Dean Crispin, and the U.S. Coast Guard, Lieutenant Corvino. At this time, Chief Crispin will speak. Good evening. At 3 37 p.m. this afternoon, the Fire Department received a report of a vessel in distress or on fire approximately 600 yards off of Alcatraz Island. We initiated a full marine response. We co-respond with the San Francisco Police Department. The San Francisco Police Department Marine Unit was the first on the scene and witnessed a gentleman in the water who is in severe distress. They placed him on their boat, initiated CPR, brought him into Gask House Cove right here, and this individual was declared deceased at that point. So we have currently 20 people who are reported to be on the vessel. Initially, we had 19 and after witness accounts, we determined that there were 20 folks on this vessel. We have 13 who are not injured, who have been placed in the Family Reunification Center behind me in Fort Mason, and Human Services Agency and the American Red Cross are providing services to those individuals. There are currently three individuals who are on the vessel who were injured, who were transported by Fire Department ambulances to a local hospital and are currently in stable condition, expected to be released this evening. We still have three members who are on this vessel who are unable to locate. We are conducting search and rescue operations. We have been coordinating with the United States Coast Guard, with other agencies, and we will continue to search throughout the evening. Thank you very much. I will pass it to the next gentleman. And now speaking for the U.S. Coast Guard is going to be Lieutenant Corvino regarding the search and rescue operation. Thank you. Good evening, everyone. I'm Lieutenant Corvino. I'm the search and rescue mission coordinator for the Coast Guard for this operation. As stated, we responded immediately to the report of this vessel and we used every available resource to us, providing surface coverage and air coverage. These search efforts are going to be ongoing throughout the night, providing surface coverage and air coverage. Our primary goal is to ensure the safety of all personnel involved and to locate the missing mariners. We want to thank our partners for assisting tirelessly and our Coast Guard crews for conducting these search and rescue operations. We will provide more information when it is available, but thank you. We're going to have time for four questions. I apologize ahead of time if I don't choose you all, but four questions only at this time. So this hand go up here. So I'll answer your last question first. The information we have is that it left from St. Francis Yacht Club and the initial report was a vessel on fire. Upon arrival, our members did not evidence any fire. The reports we've had from witnesses is that there was rough seas and apparently the vessel began to take on water and was turned over in the bay. That's the information that we have. So we are not able to release the sex of the individuals who are missing, but there are three missing. And one point of information is this was mostly family members of one another who were on this this vessel and all adults. Yes. Next question. Sure. So we have information on that. Sir, would you like to the information we have on the type of vessel right now? 50 foot pontoon boat. And they more information will come out as this situation evolves. But that's the initial description we've received. So yes, those are the reports that we are receiving. Our understanding was there was some kind of memorial service that they were engaging in. That's why they were using this particular vessel. And again, they were hit by a wave or took on water and the boat capsized. The last question right here for the search and rescue aspect of that night. We have modeling software that predicts the location of where our missing mariners could be. We use that very strictly and where to provide assets. And throughout the night, Thank you. This is still a search and rescue mission. I'll be here tomorrow morning, 6 a.m. If anyone wants any more information, I will be the media affairs contact. I will be in contact with the U.S. Coast Guard and Seattle Police who are leading the investigation as well. And we'll give you updates tomorrow morning earliest. And correction on the vessel, we've been told it's called, the name is Volare, V-O-L-A-R-E, based out of Stockton. That's a 50 foot cabin cruiser. That's what the type of vessel it is. It was three stories in height and roughly about 50 feet long. I don't know his first name. I just know, yeah. That's I'm not sure about. Yeah. I'll give you a little bit of homework. So the other thing that's very important, I'd like for you all to get people to know is that if anyone believes they have family members that were on this boat and they are seeking information, we're asking them to call 1-800-RED-CROSS. If they think they have any one of their loved ones who are on this boat, we're all in the bay today. Thank you. I'll conclude this.