Alcatraz City Cruises Ferry Collision at San Francisco’s Pier 31: Passenger Windows Shattered

A ferry was involved in an accident as it attempted to dock at Pier 31 in San Francisco on Sunday evening, resulting in several shattered windows and leaving passengers distressed.

Footage captured the moment the ferry collided with the pier, with witnesses recounting how the sudden jolt sent individuals tumbling and transformed what was meant to be a leisurely journey into a terrifying ordeal.

“My son said, ‘Mom, I thought this was going to be the best day ever, but now it’s the worst,'” shared Olivia RiosAcuña, recounting her son’s dismay. She had chosen the City Cruises tour to delight her son, who adores boats. They had spent a pleasant day on deck before moving inside as the ferry neared docking.

“Suddenly, a loud crash echoed, and the entire vessel trembled,” she recalled.

According to RiosAcuña, the ferry struck the pier several times, breaking windows and causing a wave of fear among those onboard. She mentioned that one woman fell down a staircase during the chaos.

“I was terrified. I was like, what on earth is going on? And then I was like, okay, who on earth is driving this boat?” she said.

Genesis Alcocer, another passenger, said she did not immediately realize the extent of the damage but feared the worst.

“For me, I was like, oh my god, we’re gonna sink. I’m not the best swimmer,” Alcocer said.

She said crew members did not initially communicate what was happening.

“The people that worked there were not making a big deal about it, but you could tell in their face that they were panicking,” she said.

Daniel Aburto, who was also on board, questioned the crew’s experience.

“Is it your first day? That was my thought. Like, this is your first day. There’s no way, there’s no way,” he said.

Passengers said they were kept on board for about 20 minutes before being directed to exit the ferry. RiosAcuña said she was surprised by the tone of a staff member as they disembarked.

“This guy’s like, ‘Have a great day. You guys sure had an exciting entry,’ or something like that,” she said. “I was like, exciting? More like traumatic. My kid’s still crying.”

RiosAcuña, Alcocer and Aburto said they do not plan to take another City Cruises trip anytime soon.

No injuries were reported.

Alcatraz City Cruises provided a statement to ABC affiliate KGO:

On Sunday evening, an Alcatraz City Cruises vessel was involved in a docking incident upon return to Pier 31. There are no currently reported injuries, and an investigation of the incident will be conducted to determine it cause. Any impacts to service will be provided as additional information becomes available.