Coast Guard suspends search for 4 missing boaters who went crabbing in Northern California

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for four missing boaters near Bodega Bay in California around 6:30 p.m. Sunday following a rescue mission that lasted approximately 57 hours.

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

Six boaters − three adults and three children − who had gone crabbing off the coast of Bodega on board a 21-foot white Bayliner boat, were reported missing around 10:20 p.m. Saturday after they failed to return to shore in Sonoma County north of San Francisco, Sonoma County Sheriff said in a post on Facebook.

They were last heard from at about 3 p.m. and a "cell phone ping suggested the boat was last in the area of Carmet Beach," the sheriff's office said.

USCG, in a news release Sunday, said the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office alerted them about the incident around 11:40 p.m. Saturday, adding the boaters had "departed from Westside Marina at approximately 3 p.m. Saturday and were due to return by 7 p.m. the same day."

A search operation was launched and two boaters from the vessel were located Sunday morning, the USCG said, while efforts to look for the remaining individuals continued. One of the two boaters located was found alive and received medical treatment, the sheriff's office said, while the second person, a 17-year-old boy, was "pronounced deceased at the scene." Debris of the boat were also found along the coast during the search.

After searching for "approximately 57 combined hours" and covering "more than 2,100 square miles," the operation was called off Sunday.

Authorities did not detail why and how the boat collapsed and did not share further information on the other boaters. The USCG did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for an update on the incident.

Rob Dillian, a spokesperson with the sheriff's office, told USA TODAY Tuesday that while details into how and why the boat capsized are still being investigated, it is likely that rough ocean conditions with "large swells and high winds" led to the boat losing balance and ultimately capsizing.

"The Coast Guard urges all mariners, experienced or not to always check the weather conditions before heading out on the water, file a float plan and carry a working VHF radio to call for assistance," the coast guard advised in its statement.

Several agencies including multiple units of the coast guard, U.S. Air Force, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and the Civil Air Patrol were involved in the search operation.

Authorities have requested anyone with information on the incident to contact the Coast Guard Sector San Francisco at (415) 399-3502.

Second boat capsizes

In a similar incident, another boat with two men on board capsized near Mussel Point, south of Salmon Creek, close to where the previous accident had taken plane, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release Monday.

A hiker alerted authorities of the incident around 7:10 a.m. Monday, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said in a post on Facebook Monday evening.

"Sonoma County Sheriff Marine Unit was already in the area preparing to search for the boaters who went missing late Saturday night," USCG said and were able to locate one of the men on board the boat at about 7:40 a.m. The unit attempted to revive the man, but he did not survive. The search for the second man, meanwhile, continued and was suspended Tuesday morning, the USCG said in a post on X.

"The ocean conditions are dangerous right now, with large swells and high winds in the afternoon and evening," the U.S. Coast Guard said in the news release. "We advise everyone to use caution and understand the forecasted conditions."

Sonoma County Sheriff Marine Unit will conduct an investigation into this accident and Saturday night’s accident, authorities said.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.