The 2012 Full Crew Farallones sailing competition ended in tragedy Saturday when a 38-foot schooner with eight crewmembers capsized near a rocky embankment on the main Southeast Farallon Island—injuring three, killing one and leaving four lost at sea.
The Low Speed Chase, one of 52 sailboats that took part in the annual race officiated by the San Francisco Yacht Club, was circling the island at around 3 p.m. when a series of 12-foot swells overturned the hull, tossing most crew members overboard. Three were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard and the body of one, Marc Kasanin, of Belvedere, was recovered. The remaining four crewmembers—Alexis Busch, of Larkspur; Alan Cahill, of Tiburon; Jordan Fromm, of San Rafael; and Elmer Morrissey, of Ireland—had not been located as of late Sunday, when rescuers suspended their search.
A vigil was attended by more than 400 on Sunday at the yacht club in Belvedere. “The San Francisco sailing community is large but tight-knit and this tragedy will remain in our hearts and minds for a long time,” club officials said.