Boat capsizes on crab trip, killing one and leaving four lost, California officials say

Four people remain missing after a recreational boat on a crabbing trip capsized near Bodega Bay, forcing six people into the ocean, California officials reported.

An injured 11-year-old boy from the boat was rescued near South Salmon Creek Beach, and the body of a teenage passenger was found in the water later, The Press Democrat reported.

The 21-foot boat departed at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, from a marina but failed to return as planned by 7 p.m., the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release.

The boat was reported missing with three adults and three juveniles on board to local authorities at 10:18 p.m., the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

A cell phone ping indicated the boat was last off Carmet Beach, deputies said. Searchers found debris along the coast.

The injured 11-year-old and dead teen were found Sunday morning, KGO reported. The boy floated to shore on a cooler, according to the station.

Officials told KTVU that weather conditions were rough, with 14-foot waves and 40-mile-an-hour winds.

The Coast Guard officially suspended the search for the four missing passengers at 6:30 p.m. Sunday after searching more than 2,100 square miles, officials said in a news release.

“The decision to suspend a search is always difficult to make and never done lightly” said U.S. Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Michael L. Zapawa. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the missing boaters during this incredibly difficult time.”

Anyone with information about the missing boaters is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 707-565-2121 or the U.S. Coast Guard at 415-399-3502.

Bodega Bay is about a 70-mile drive northwest from San Francisco.

This story was originally published November 4, 2024 at 10:55 AM with the headline "Boat capsizes on crab trip, killing one and leaving four lost, California officials say."