Two dead after SF Bay canoe accident

Two men who died after their canoe capsized off of Coyote Point in San Mateo on Monday have been identified by the San Mateo County coroner as 49-year-old Guillermo Ruvalcaba-Sandoval and 22-year-old Luis Ruvalcaba.

Both victims resided in Daly City, Coroner Robert Foucrault said. At about 10:20 p.m. Monday, U.S. Coast Guard crews received a report from South San Francisco fire officials that three people departed from Oyster Point in South San Francisco to fish in a 12-foot orange canoe, but did not return as expected, Coast Guard officials said.

After finding the trio’s vehicle still in the parking lot at Oyster Point Marina, Coast Guard boat and helicopter crews began searching the Bay, as did a South San Francisco boat crew, according to the Coast Guard.

At 1:20 a.m. Tuesday, the South San Francisco crew heard a cry for help about a mile off of Coyote Point and found a 22-year-old woman, who was pulled from the water. She was taken to a hospital and was conscious and responsive, Coast Guard officials said.

At 1:53 a.m., Coast Guard crews found in the water a second person, the 49-year-old man later identified as Ruvalcaba-Sandoval, who was unconscious and unresponsive and was taken to Mills-Peninsula Hospital in Burlingame.

The overnight search continued into the morning, when the Coast Guard helicopter crew found a third person in the water south of Coyote Point at about 8:50 a.m. The person, later identified as 22-year-old Ruvalcaba, matched the description of the third person who was in the canoe, Coast Guard officials said.

Coast Guard Capt. Greg Stump said in a statement Tuesday:

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the individuals involved in last night’s tragedy. … The outpouring of assistance from both the local response agencies and the public who searched the shoreline at first light is a testament to the spirit of the local community members and public agencies.”