One dead, three missing after boat sinks near Alcatraz
A deadly boating accident near Alcatraz Island has triggered an extensive search across San Francisco Bay after a 49-foot cabin cruiser overturned in rough water, leaving one person dead and three others unaccounted for. Senior correspondent Claudia Cowan reported live from the scene, saying the vessel was carrying 20 adults connected to a memorial service when it capsized. Multiple agencies remain involved as investigators work to determine what caused the boat to flip in the bay’s cold, turbulent conditions.
In Wisconsin, authorities have recovered the bodies of a young Illinois couple who disappeared during a kayaking outing on Lake Michigan near the treacherous passage known as Death’s Door.
David Thalman, 20, and Francesca Warick, 20, were located Monday morning near Washington Island after being reported missing over the weekend, according to a joint statement from the Door County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington Island Police Department.
Washington Island sits across the water from the Door Peninsula, requiring kayakers traveling from the peninsula to cross Death’s Door, a strait long known for unpredictable currents, choppy conditions and dangerous waters.
Investigators said they do not believe either Thalman or Warick was wearing a life jacket at the time.
David Thalman and Francesca Warick were found after vanishing during a kayaking trip. (David Thalman/Facebook)
The strait’s grim reputation dates back generations, with hundreds of shipwrecks believed to have occurred in the area since the 1800s.
The Door County Sheriff’s Office said it took charge of the search once the mission shifted Sunday from rescue efforts to a recovery operation.
Jane Lee, broker-owner of a RE/MAX office in Chicago suburb Lake Bluff, told FOX 32 that Thalman was a great employee.
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“You don’t see a lot of young people like that anymore today,” she said. “He’s very focused, always on time. We trust him 100 percent.”
She said his family has a cabin on Washington Island and she started to get worried when he hadn’t answered her calls and texts about work after he left for the weekend.
Authorities don’t believe Thalman and Warick were wearing life jackets when they went missing. (Madelaine Marie/Facebook)
“That moment I did worry,” she said, adding that when her office heard the news, “We all cried. Everybody was in shock.”
She added, “We feel a huge loss.”
Warick, a twin, “brought joy to everyone around her,” according to her obituary.
A view from Washington Island, Wisconsin. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“She was a bright, happy, and free-spirited young woman whose beautiful smile and kind heart left a lasting impression on all who knew her. She loved her family deeply and treasured every moment spent with them.”
Authorities said the couple likely drowned. Their deaths remain under investigation.
