A 35-year-old Apple software engineer and father of three died after a fishing boat crashed into rocks near the Golden Gate Bridge in Northern California, leaving his wife and three young children behind.

Daniel Zhengyu Qin, a San Jose resident, was identified as the man who died following the boating accident early Thursday morning, Sept. 17. Qin was one of three people aboard the recreational fishing boat when it struck rocks near Lime Point, close to the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, shortly after 6 a.m.

The vessel began to capsize after hitting the rocks, sending two of the three people into the water. Emergency crews from the U.S. Coast Guard, San Francisco Fire Department, Southern Marin Fire District and San Francisco Police Department responded to the scene.

Coast Guard crews arrived within minutes and found two people in the water and another person still aboard the boat. All three were wearing life jackets when rescuers reached them. The victims were taken to a Marin County hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Qin later died at the hospital despite efforts to save him. One of the other boaters was reported to be in critical condition, while the third was in stable condition.

A Father of Three

News of Qin’s identity emerged several days after the accident through a fundraiser established for his family.

According to the fundraiser, Qin was a devoted husband to his wife, Yao Deng, and the father of three children: an 11-year-old son and two daughters, ages 9 and 3. He worked as a software engineer at Apple.

Family friend Cathy Wu described Qin as kind, funny and exceptionally generous. She said he was always willing to help others, whether by sharing fish from his fishing trips, giving away his children’s outgrown belongings to other families or simply being there when friends needed assistance.

The fundraiser described him as a loving father whose children looked up to him and whose friends deeply valued his presence.

His sudden death has left his wife and children facing both an emotional and financial loss. Money raised through the family fundraiser is intended to help cover funeral and memorial expenses, emergency costs and the children’s everyday needs in the months ahead.

Cause of Crash Remains Under Investigation

Authorities have not announced what caused the boat to strike the rocks.

The accident happened while it was still dark in the early morning. A Coast Guard official said visibility was somewhat restricted by fog, although there was no significant visibility issue reported at the time.

Investigators from the U.S. Coast Guard, Marin County Sheriff’s Office and San Francisco Police Department are examining the circumstances surrounding the collision. The boat was recovered and towed to Coast Guard Station Golden Gate, where investigators could process it for evidence.

Officials have not indicated that criminal wrongdoing was involved, and no such charges have been reported in connection with the crash.

For Qin’s family and friends, the investigation comes as they mourn a husband, father and colleague whose life ended suddenly during what had been an early-morning fishing trip.

His family is now preparing to move forward without him while friends and members of the community rally around his wife and three children.

Sources: New York Post; San Francisco Chronicle; CBS News Bay Area; SFist; San Francisco Police Department; San Francisco Fire Department; Marin County Sheriff’s Office; U.S. Coast Guard; family fundraiser for Yao Deng.