Boat capsizing: Videos show smoke billowing from sinking ship

Boat capsizing: Videos show smoke billowing from sinking ship highlights the sudden sinking of the 49-foot cabin cruiser Volare in San Francisco Bay on Tuesday afternoon, killing two people and leaving two missing. San Francisco Chronicle videos reviewed on Thursday and eyewitness accounts indicate smoke appeared on the vessel around 3:32 p.m. and then quickly disappeared as the boat’s bottom submerged within roughly two minutes. The San Francisco Police Department took over the investigation into the cause Thursday. U.S. Coast Guard officials suggested the cruiser may have been overtaken by a wave while motoring from Angel Island to San Francisco. Coast Guard and San Francisco Fire Department officials said reports of an onboard fire were unsubstantiated, with steam from a hot engine possibly seen instead. Investigators may not determine the cause until the boat is lifted, a complex and costly effort.