BODEGA BAY (BCN) -- An elderly man and woman died after their boat capsized Thursday in  the waters off Bodega Bay, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said.

The Coast Guard initially responded to the area after a pedestrian  reported seeing a man's body about one mile south of Salmon Creek at 1:30  p.m., Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Jeremy Pichette said.

Authorities were able to recover the body after it washed ashore,  Pichette said.

The Coast Guard then learned that two people had taken their  20-foot boat out in the morning to lay crab pots and had not returned,  according to Pichette.

The Coast Guard, along with the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department  and the National Park Service, launched a search for the vessel and a  possible second victim. At about 4:15 p.m., a second body, that of an elderly  woman, was located near an overturned vessel, also south of Salmon Creek,  Pichette said.

He said the two victims match the description of the pair that set  out earlier in the day to lay crab pots.

Due to rough water conditions, authorities decided it was unsafe  to attempt to recover the vessel, Pichette said, adding that the Coast Guard  will monitor the boat overnight.

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