6 dead, 2 missing after boat capsizes on Lake Tahoe during sudden storm
Authorities said the 27-foot Chris-Craft vessel overturned shortly after 3 p.m. amid a sudden storm that ushered in high winds and rough waters. The Coast Guard reported winds of up to 30 knots at the time of the incident.
'Callers indicated that approximately 10 individuals were in the water near the vessel, with reported wave heights reaching 8 feet,' the office said.
Local news outlet South Tahoe Now reported that rescuers arrived at the state park after a lifeguard and a ranger initially spotted people in the water. They pulled two individuals onto nearby rocks and began performing CPR. The lifeguard then entered the water to rescue another person.
Both were brought aboard a Coast Guard boat, but the rescued individual did not survive, according to the outlet.
The two individuals who were rescued were transported to a local hospital. Six adults were recovered from the water and pronounced dead. The search for the remaining two people is ongoing.
'We had a boat booked, just waiting at the dock—and within 30 minutes, the skies flipped,' said Jessica Cox, a visitor who shared her experience on TikTok. 'Heavy rain. Sudden snow. Boats struggling to get back.'
Cox, who was at The Grove Bar & Grill in South Lake Tahoe during the storm, said the rapid shift in weather left many stunned.
'Boats missing. Properties damaged,' she said. 'We watched in real time, shocked and praying. Thankfully, rescue crews responded fast—grateful to God for keeping us safe.'
She added that longtime residents told her it was 'the weirdest weather they've seen on Lake Tahoe in 30+ years.'
Witnesses reported seeing several boats capsize during the storm as severe weather swept across the lake.
According to the National Weather Service, between 2:15 and 4:15 p.m., temperatures dropped sharply from 54 degrees to 37 degrees as a thunderstorm moved through the area.
Wind gusts reached up to 37 mph at the South Lake Tahoe Airport and as high as 45 mph over the middle of the lake. The winds were coming from the north, which is less typical for the region and may have contributed to the severity of the conditions and the resulting damage.
The sheriff's office said its search and rescue and dive teams would resume operations Sunday morning. The identities of the deceased have not been released pending notification of next of kin.
The Coast Guard responded alongside California State Parks, the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office and other local agencies. The cause of the capsizing is under investigation.
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