A 35-year-old San Jose man died after his recreational fishing vessel struck rocks beneath the Golden Gate Bridge early Thursday morning, despite wearing a life vest and receiving immediate emergency response from multiple agencies.
Dawn Rescue Operation Turns Fatal
Emergency crews responded at 6:10 a.m. to reports of a 22-foot fishing boat with three people aboard striking rocks on the Marin County side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Coast Guard Boatswain Richard Smith reported the vessel was pinned between two rocks and capsizing when rescuers arrived, with two boaters already in the water and one still on board. All three wore life vests, but darkness and slight fog complicated the rescue.
Coast Guard crews used spotlights to locate the victims in the dark water. The Southern Marin Fire District confirmed one boater was in cardiac arrest when pulled from the water. San Francisco Police Department Marine Unit transported all three to the Marin County shoreline for medical treatment before hospital transfer.
Victim Identified After Surgery
The Marin County Sheriff’s Office identified the deceased as Daniel Zhengyu Qin, 35, of San Jose. He died during surgery at a Marin County hospital despite life-saving efforts by medical staff. The second patient remained in critical condition, while the third was stabilized. Authorities have not disclosed what caused the collision, and investigations by the Coast Guard, Marin County Sheriff’s Office, and San Francisco Police Department continue.
Multi-Agency Response Training Credited
The San Francisco Fire Department emphasized that regular joint training exercises enabled the swift rescue operation. Agencies including San Francisco and Southern Marin firefighters, Sausalito responders, Coast Guard personnel, and police marine units coordinate through shared radio systems and unified command exercises. The Sheriff’s Office marine unit recovered the capsized vessel and towed it to Coast Guard Station Golden Gate at Horseshoe Cove, where San Francisco police will process it for evidence.
Investigation Underway
A post-mortem examination with toxicology testing is scheduled for completion next week. The cause and manner of death remain pending as three separate agencies conduct parallel investigations. Smith noted visibility was only slightly restricted by fog at the time of the crash, nothing significant that would normally prevent navigation. The incident highlights ongoing maritime safety concerns in the busy waters surrounding one of America’s most iconic landmarks.