Tugboat Worker Zachary Smith Vanishes in Vallejo; Family Pleads for Help
A family is desperately searching for answers after their loved one, Zachary Smith, disappeared from the Vallejo waterfront in the early morning hours of May 27. Smith, who goes by Zach, was working aboard a tugboat docked along the Napa River when he was last seen.
He is not a resident and was in the area solely for work purposes. His sudden and unexplained absence has left his family in anguish.
Smith’s sister, Bailey Ulsh, posted a plea for help in the Vallejo Community Facebook group, urging anyone with information to contact local authorities.
My brother Zachary Smith, he introduces himself as Zach, was last seen in the Vallejo area on May 27th in the early hours of the morning. He is not local, he works on a tug boat and they were docked there on the Napa River. If anyone has seen him please call the local authorities. We are deeply worried about him. His phone and wallet were left behind when he left to wherever he may have wanted to go and no-one has seen or heard of him since.
She noted that Zach left behind his phone and wallet when he disappeared, which has only deepened the family’s concern. Without identification or a way to communicate, he would have no means of reaching out even if he wanted to.
Community Members Step Forward With Possible Leads
The post quickly drew attention from Vallejo residents, with several commenters offering to help spread the word. One woman, whose husband works security on Mare Island, shared a particularly troubling detail.
My husband works security on mare island. A couple days ago a man left his wallet and phone keys in the boat the coast guard f… See more
She said her husband had discovered a man’s wallet, phone, and keys left behind on a Coast Guard boat in the area around the same time Smith went missing. She also mentioned that a second body was discovered in the area shortly after, though the identity of that individual has not been confirmed.
Another longtime community member who previously worked at Mare Island Brewing Company noted that tugboat workers docked nearby frequently visited local establishments.
He suggested investigators check with businesses in the area that may have seen Smith or have surveillance footage from around that time.
Commenters also raised questions about why Smith would have left the boat without his belongings, with some suggesting he may have set them aside intentionally to avoid getting them wet, a common habit among maritime workers.
Others raised concerns about whether foul play or an accidental fall into the water could be involved.
Family Urges Anyone With Information to Come Forward
Ulsh confirmed that the disappearance has been reported to local authorities.
Community members encouraged the family to also reach out to local news outlets to broaden the search effort, noting that the case had not yet received media coverage beyond the Facebook post at the time of writing.
Anyone who may have seen Zachary Smith near the Napa River or Mare Island area on or after May 27 is urged to contact the Vallejo Police Department or the Napa Police Department immediately.
Every lead, no matter how small, could make a critical difference in bringing Zach home safely.
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