Second Victim Identified In Fatal Marin County Canoe Trip: Police

MARIN COUNTY, CA — Police identified the second person Tuesday who died during an overnight canoe trip to view bioluminescence on Tomales Bay as a 37-year-old Pacifica man.

On Tuesday, the Marin County Sheriff's Office identified the second man as Alexander Ferguson, a Pacifica Planning Commission member and resident.

“I am so heartbroken to hear of the tragic death of Alex Ferguson,” Pacifica Mayor Christine Boles told The San Francisco Chronicle. “He is also a husband and father of three young children, andI’ve often see him and his beautiful family strolling around his beloved neighborhood of Sharp Park."

On Monday, the coroner's office identified the other victim as Casey Flynn Melia. Marin County Fire officials said he and Ferguson had set out around midnight on Saturday to view bioluminescence and planned to camp at White Gulch Beach.

At around 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, officials said emergency crews were called after the two canoeists failed to return as expected, launching a multi-agency search involving water rescue crews and air support, according to Mari Ochoa, Marin County Fire public information officer.

Search crews first found Ferguson unresponsive in the water, and he was taken to Bodega Bay, where he was pronounced dead by emergency personnel, officials said.

Officials said that a short time later crews found Melia unresponsive near Hog Island. He was then brought to Sacramento Landing, where first responders pronounced him dead, officials said.

Both canoeists were wearing life vests when they were found, according to Marin County Fire.

Authorities have not announced what caused their deaths.