Lake Tahoe Boating Tragedy: 8 Dead After Sudden Storm Capsizes Boat

2025-06-24 06:01:00.611

The body of the last missing person from a boat that capsized on Lake Tahoe during a sudden and powerful weekend thunderstorm was found Monday, bringing the death toll to eight. Ten people were on board the 27-foot gold Chris-Craft vessel when it flipped Saturday afternoon near D.L. Bliss State Park as the storm whipped up high waves. Two people were rescued and taken to a hospital. Six bodies were recovered Saturday, and a seventh on Sunday. Divers found the last body Monday afternoon. The names of the victims will be released after families are notified. Drowning and accidental deaths occur on the lake, but boating accidents with numerous fatalities are rare. The intensity of the thunderstorm surprised forecasters, who predicted rain but not the squall with 35 mph winds and 8-foot waves. The storm's intensity may have been due to unusually low temperatures. Eight-foot waves on Tahoe are significant. Lake Tahoe is a popular summer recreation destination. Officials haven't released details about the group on the boat or whether it was rented or owned. A witness on a pontoon boat described the sudden drop in temperature, near-zero visibility, and the feeling of being in a tsunami. Video showed moored boats crashing into each other in the storm.