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A major search-and-rescue operation is under way after a vessel carrying 19 people caught fire and partially sank in the San Francisco Bay area (Photo from AP) - July 15, 2026
US Coast Guard says rescue operations remained under way in the tragedy which leaves one person dead, another missing and 17 others rescued from the water
EMERGENCY responders launched a large-scale search-and-rescue operation in San Francisco Bay after a vessel carrying 19 people caught fire and partially sank near Alcatraz Island, leaving one person dead and another unaccounted for.
The US Coast Guard said rescue operations remained under way on Tuesday, with multiple agencies assisting in the response after the fire broke out aboard the vessel.
"Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, and a triage area has been established ashore," Reuters quoted the Coast Guard saying in a post on X.
"We will provide updates as more information becomes available."
Television footage from the scene showed the vessel almost completely submerged, with only the roof of its cabin remaining above the water.
According to KGO television, citing San Francisco fire officials, 17 of the 19 people aboard were rescued from the bay. The broadcaster also reported that one person had died while another remained missing.
Separately, KTVU television, quoting the San Francisco Fire Department, reported that one individual received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the scene.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims or disclosed the cause of the fire.
The San Francisco Fire Department did not immediately respond to requests for further information as rescue teams continued searching the surrounding waters. - July 15, 2026
