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Helicopter Crew Locates Boat That Went Missing Out Of Bodega Bay, 2 Dead, 2 Missing

BODEGA BAY (CBS SF) -- Deputies in the Sonoma County sheriff's helicopter crew located a boat Saturday morning that went missing out of Bodega Bay Friday evening, according to sheriff's officials.

Two of four people who were aboard the boat have been confirmed dead and two more are still missing, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Amanda Faulkner said.

Coast Guard officials received a report around 7:30 p.m. Friday that a 21-foot pleasure craft with four people aboard had not returned from an all-day outing, Faulkner said.

Coast Guard crews did not receive a distress signal from the vessel and said it's unclear what happened to the boat.

The boat left around 5 a.m. and was expected to return around 5 p.m., Faulkner said. When the boaters didn't return, the sister and girlfriend of the boat's owner called the Coast Guard to report it missing.

Around 10:30 p.m. Friday, the Coast Guard requested assistance from the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office to help with the search, sheriff's officials said.

Around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, the sheriff's helicopter, Henry 1, was able to conduct a search of the coastline and located the missing boat, which was overturned in the rocks near Tomales Point in Marin County, according to sheriff's officials.

Faulkner said emergency crews found one person dead on the shoreline at Bird Rock and found another person dead in a debris field off of Tomales Point.

Emergency crews also found an engine in the debris field that authorities believe is from the missing boat, Faulkner said.

The decedents' identities have not been confirmed, she said.

Crews suspended the search around sunset Saturday but the National Park Service and the Marin County Fire Department will continue searching along the shoreline Sunday morning.

Faulkner said it's critical that boaters emphasize safety whenever they go out onto the water.

"We're stressing the importance of having a plan, checking the weather and always bringing a life jacket," Faulkner said.

Although authorities aren't sure whether or not the boaters were wearing life jackets, Faulkner said 84 percent of all drowning incidents occur without life jackets.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard is extending its condolences to the families of the deceased, Faulkner said.

"Suspending a search is never an easy decision and is only done after intense scrutiny and evaluation of search efforts as a whole," Coast Guard Capt. Greg Stump said in a statement.

The National Park Service will be conducting an investigation into the incident.

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