One dead and three missing after boat sinks near Alcatraz

One person died and three are missing after a boat carrying 20 people sank near Alcatraz, the former prison and tourist attraction in San Francisco Bay, U.S. officials reported Tuesday.

Helicopters, planes and rescue boats operated by local fire and police teams were working alongside the U.S. Coast Guard to locate the missing.

Fire Chief Dean Crispen said rescuers initially responded to a report of "a boat on fire, 600 yards off Alcatraz" Island around 3:35 p.m. (10:35 GMT), according to a short Instagram video posted by San Francisco's mayor.

By the time rescuers arrived, the boat had capsized and efforts were made to resuscitate the deceased person.

"They immediately initiated CPR, transported that patient to the shore. They were declared deceased," Crispen said.

Initially, the fire department reported two people missing, but later updated the figure to three, citing witness statements.

Lieutenant Elias Mariano of the San Francisco Fire Department told AFP that the search for the missing will continue "through the night."

According to the department, rescue teams were using "thermal imaging, tide prediction and modeling to help direct search efforts."

According to Mariano, the vessel was a cabin motorboat, privately owned, from Stockton, California.