Last month, eight individuals were confirmed deceased following a tragic boat capsizing incident on Lake Tahoe, California, according to a preliminary report released by federal agents on Wednesday.
Among the victims were four family members who were celebrating a birthday on June 21. Their 28-foot vessel was overwhelmed by a 10-foot wave, flipping over at the lake’s western edge.
The National Transportation Safety Board indicated that conditions were generally calm when a group of ten set sail around noon. However, in just two hours, the weather worsened significantly, generating noticeable waves.
By 2:30 PM, as the boat attempted to return to shore, hail began to fall, and the vessel was battered by increasing waves.
According to the report, “The boat took on water, and passengers struggled to manage the influx.” Eventually, a large wave swamped the boat.
Rescue efforts commenced shortly after the incident, with two survivors being located. One survivor was found clinging to a life vest, while the other had managed to wear one.
Six victims perished that day, with two more bodies recovered the following day.
No one from the group of deceased had life jackets on, the report noted.
Four life vests and an inflatable ring were retrieved from the site of the capsizing.
Witnesses hiking along the shore alerted authorities about the sinking vessel.
Notably, there were no distress calls made from the boat during the incident.
Toxicology tests on the deceased are underway, and results are still forthcoming, officials have stated.
During the time of the accident, snow was reported on the shore, and a nearby weather station recorded wind gusts of up to 39 mph just after 3 PM.
As the afternoon progressed, conditions began improving around 4 PM, clearing to a cloudless sky by 5:30 PM, according to the report.
The NTSB emphasized that weather conditions had rapidly deteriorated after the party of ten had already been on the water.
Though boating accidents occur more commonly on the lake, fatalities are relatively rare. There were 15 boating-related deaths in 2021, with an average of about six each summer, as noted by local officials.
