The sinking Tuesday of a recreational boat near Alcatraz Island became the latest deadly episode in the long maritime history of the San Francisco Bay.
One person died and three passengers remained missing Wednesday after the 49-foot cabin cruiser Volare capsized in rough seas with 20 people aboard. Sixteen people survived, and authorities are investigating what caused the boat to sink.
The bay’s dangers have been known for centuries. When Spanish naval officer Juan Manuel de Ayala became the first known European to sail through the Golden Gate in 1775, he described the waters as difficult and urged caution because of powerful tides…