Search Continues for 3 Missing Passengers After Boat Sinks Near Alcatraz. Group Had Gathered to Spread Loved One’s Ashes

“Some people were just falling into the water,” said San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen

NEED TO KNOW The search continues for three people who fell into the San Francisco Bay after a vessel sank on July 14 One person died, and 16 others were rescued from the water The passengers were family members who had gathered for a memorial service The search is ongoing for three missing passengers after a vessel sank near Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay, leaving one person dead. The 20 people on board were family members who had gathered for a memorial.

The devastating incident occurred on Tuesday, July 14, around 3:37 p.m. local time, when officials received several 911 calls about a vessel in distress in the San Francisco Bay, the San Francisco Fire Department said in a statement. Multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard and private vessels in the area, responded to the scene. When a marine unit for the San Francisco Police Department arrived, they found a 49-foot cabin cruiser called Volare in distress.

The vessel was out of Stockton, and bystanders misinterpreted steam coming from it as smoke, officials said. A large water rescue operation commenced, and 16 people were rescued, three of whom were transported to a hospital, but are in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries, the fire department said. In addition, one passenger who was taken out of the water received life-saving measures, but later died, according to officials.

A dog on board also died in the incident. "Some people were in the water. Some people were on the boat.

Some people were just falling into the water," Dean Crispen, the San Francisco fire chief, said at a press conference, according to The New York Times. While a majority of the people on board were saved, three passengers remain missing, officials said. As of Tuesday at 8:30 p.m., Coast Guard and fire personnel were continuing to search for the missing people.

"The search is still ongoing and went through the night," Lt. Mariano Elias confirms to PEOPLE in a statement on Thursday, July 15. "No victims have been found at this point." "These teams are using technologies such as thermal imaging, tide prediction, and modeling to help direct search efforts," said the fire department.

Notably, the passengers were from the same family and had congregated to spread the ashes of a loved one in the water, according to the Times. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Currently, it is unclear what caused the boat to sink about 600 yards from Alcatraz Island, the prison-turned-museum.

At the press conference, the fire chief said he isn't sure if the vessel ever flipped over, but the top of the boat could be seen when first responders arrived, the Times reported. "Our first responders have been able to rescue 17 people from the water. Unfortunately, one person did not survive," said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie in a statement on Tuesday.

"But the work our first responders have done so far today has been nothing short of heroic, and they are showing incredible courage as their work continues." Read the original article on People