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Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Survivors of Lake Tahoe boating disaster credited for life-saving decision after 'freak storm' killed eight
The two survivors of the deadly Lake Tahoe tragedy that claimed eight lives were wearing life jackets at the time of their rescue. Ten boaters abroad a 27-foot gold Chris-Craft vessel set out the California side of Lake Tahoe last weekend, eager to enjoy a sun-drenched day on the water for a 71st birthday celebration. But the day turned fatal when a sudden, powerful storm erupted over the lake - unleashing eight-foot waves, pounding hail and torrential rain - that struck without warning and ultimately capsized their boat, claiming eight lives. The victims of the disaster were identified as: Paula Bozinovich, 71, Terry Pickles, 73, Joshua Antony Pickles, 37, Peter Bayes, 72, Timothy O'Leary, 71, Theresa Giullari, 66, James Guck, 69 and Stephen Lindsay, 63. However, the two unidentified individuals who survived the tsunami-like storm were revealed to be wearing life jackets when rescued, before being transported to a local hospital, according to a Facebook post from the Washoe County Sheriff's Hasty Team. 'The most common mistake boaters make it not being aware of the forecasted weather,' BM1 Justin Smith, executive petty officer of Coast Guard Station Lake Tahoe, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 'Life jackets being worn continue to be the primary survivability factor,' he added. On the morning of June 21st, the conditions outside were perfect for a carefree weekend outing - clear skies, gentle breezes and steadily rising temperatures. Despite a slight chance of rain and thunderstorms - a common occurrence for seasoned boaters - hundreds still took to the water that day. But something shifted around 2pm - some boaters spotted whitecaps forming on the water, while others noticed the wind suddenly picking up, blowing fiercely from the north, as reported by The Los Angeles Times. From that moment, conditions deteriorated rapidly, transforming a calm day into a desperate race against time and nature - as eight-foot waves, 30-knot winds, snow and hail engulfed the lake within just minutes. 'It felt like we were in a tsunami that was starting,' Brittany Glick, who was on a nearby pontoon celebrating a bachelorette party, told NPR. 'I had never experienced anything like that.' 'It happened suddenly. The water was just screaming toward the shore,' Ms Brigantino, who was visiting the lake with friends, told BBC. 'It was bad.' Some vessels broke free from their moorings, while others sank or crashed into nearby piers. Several buoys were also washed ashore, according to the LA Times. Before many could reach shore amid the chaos, several boats capsized - hurling passengers into the raging, churning waters. At around 3pm, multiple people reported seeing a group in the water after their boat met the same fate - all while waves in the area at the time were around eight-feet high, according to a news release from the El Dorado Sheriff's Office. Both the sheriff's office and the Coast Guard swiftly responded to the shores of D.L. Bliss State Park, where they successfully rescued two individuals wearing flotation devices. 'Weather in the Tahoe Basin can be unpredictable and change quickly,' Smith warned boaters while speaking with Fox News. 'Mariners should be hesitant to operate in conditions where wind advisories or small craft advisories have been issued,' he added. A massive search-and-rescue operation involving multiple agencies was quickly launched to locate the remaining boaters, including North Tahoe Fire, California State Parks, the Washoe County Sheriff's Office, and the United States Coast Guard. The recovery operations also required advanced divers and specialized teams, including Wilderness Finder Search Dog Teams. Six bodies were recovered on the surface of the water near the capsized boat shortly after the storm, according to the Facebook post. The following day, the Washoe County Sheriff's Office responded to a request from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office to assist in recovering the two remaining victims. An extensive underwater search was conducted by the Washoe County's Search and Rescue Hasty Team, the Specialized Vehicle Unit aboard Marine 10 and the Marine 9 crew, the department wrote. Both the sheriff's office and the Coast Guard swiftly responded to the shores of D.L. Bliss State Park, where they successfully rescued two individuals wearing flotation devices The search employed the team's Outland 1000 Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), equipped with multiple cameras, lights, onboard sonar, and an articulating claw - capable of diving to depths of up to 2,000 feet. That afternoon, a seventh victim was found at a depth of over 300 feet. Then, on Monday afternoon, the final missing boater was discovered deceased at a similar depth, bringing the death toll to eight, according to the department. 'The success of the search and recovery operations would not have been nearly as efficient without the assistance of our partner agencies,' the sheriff's office said. Among those who lost their lives was 37-year-old DoorDash executive Josh Pickles, along with his parents - 73-year-old Terry Pickles and 71-year-old Paula Bozinovich, ABC 7 News reported. Pickles' wife had stayed home taking care of their seven-month-old daughter at the time of the disaster, according to Fox News. The group was celebrating his mother's 71st birthday on Lake Tahoe. Two other victims were also from California: Josh Pickles' uncle, 72-year-old Peter Bayes, and 71-year-old Timothy O'Leary. The three remaining victims - 66-year-old Theresa Giullari, 69-year-old James Guck and 63-year-old Stephen Lindsay - were visiting from New York. 'These individuals were part of a closely connected family group enjoying a birthday gathering on the lake,' the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office said in a June 24 statement. 'We extend our deepest heartfelt condolences to the families of those who were lost and all those who have been affected by this tragic event.' But even boaters who managed to reach shore during the storm weren't out of danger - many suffered after falling into the frigid water, which remained below 60 degrees throughout the day, LA Times reported. 'There was just a massive amount of people that were in hypothermia or shock,' Joby Cefalu, a lifelong Tahoe boater, told the outlet. 'It was just a tragic day on Lake Tahoe.' Last weekend's tragedy is believed to be the deadliest boating incident in the Golden State since 2019, when a 75-foot boat caught fire and sank near Santa Cruz Island, killing 34 people.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
DoorDash executive and his parents among victims named after Lake Tahoe boat sinking killed eight
A DoorDash executive and his parents have been identified as among those who lost their lives after their boat capsized on Lake Tahoe. Josh Pickles, 37, of San Francisco, and his parents Terry Pickles, 73, and Paula Bozinovich, 71, of Redwood City, were celebrating his mom's birthday when the vessel sank. The family died alongside seven others. The group were partying on a 27-foot Chris Craft boat on Saturday when weather conditions drastically changed. 'We are devastated by this tragedy. We lost my loving husband, Josh Pickles, his parents, Terry Pickles and Paula Bozinovich, and Uncle Peter Bayes, as well as friends in this tragedy,' Pickles' wife Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard said in a statement. 'No words can express the pain and anguish we feel knowing their lives were lost during what was meant to be a joyful time on the lake.' The other victims were: Peter Bayes, 72, from Lincoln, California; Timothy O'Leary, 71, from Auburn, California; Theresa Giullari, 66, from Honeoye, New York; James Guck, 69, from Honeoye, New York; and Stephen Lindsay, 63, from Springwater, New York. Two people survived the tragedy. Sugar-Carlsgaard stayed on shore with her and Pickles' seven-month-old daughter. The day began sunny with calm waters before a freak storm rolled in bringing eight-foot waves and dangerous conditions. 'No words can express the pain and anguish we feel knowing their lives were lost during what was meant to be a joyful time on the lake,' Pickle's wife Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard said in a statement (Pictured: Pickles with his parents) 'Usually, there are two or three-foot waves,' Tiger Gertz, of Saratoga, who was on the lake in a different boat, said, according to The Mercury News. 'These were like eight feet. It was definitely like an ocean in a storm. Not like a lake. It was very rough.' The captain of Gertz's boat told him that he had never seen waves this bad before. Gertz and his friends managed to scramble to safety in Emerald Bay where they waited for several hours. When they emerged from their hideout, they saw Pickles' overturned boat near DL Bliss State Park. 'It was bout 200 feet away. We didn't think anything of it. We had no idea eight people died,' he said. 'Then we saw the firetrucks. The boat was very close to the rocks. We thought people might have swam to shore.' Pickles' party had attempted to go back to shore when the boat capsized. The water came over the head of the boat and stalled the engine, family spokesperson Sam Singer said. 'The boat was taking on water. That's what caused it to capsize,' he said. Pickles and his wife purchased the crashed boat last year and it was only the third time the boat had been taken out since they bought it, Singer said. 'It's shockingly sad,' the family spokesperson said. 'The family is devastated and grieving.' The tragedy is believed to be the deadliest boating incident in the Golden State since 2019, when a 75-foot boat caught fire and sank near Santa Cruz Island, killing 34 people.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Freak 8-Foot Waves Slam Lake Tahoe, Boaters Killed (Video)
Terror descended upon Lake Tahoe, over the weekend, as a freak storm hit the water, creating winds over 30 miles per hour and generating waves six-to-eight-foot high. There were many boats on the water, enjoying the early summer season, when the surprise change in weather occurred. As a result, six people died, multiple were injured, and two remain missing. The chaos commenced around 3:00pm on Saturday, and footage from the extreme weather event shows boats being knocked around, some sinking, and panicked people on the water and land. Check out the local news report from the rare storm, and subsequent tragedies, below. A man on the scene, a rapper who goes by the name Bugbee, recounted the bedlam: 'A pontoon boat had come up. You could tell there were no life vests on any people on the boat. I don't know what they were thinking. They didn't know how to operate it. It was their first time actually driving the boat. They kind of beached the boat sideways. Then we had to come up. I just ran up there, and started helping people get off. You could tell they were all terrified. Then, the storm just kept getting worse and worse. Like seven or eight boats got piled up on the beach. It was crazy. Never seen anything like it.' Like a lot of lakes with enough mass to whip up some wind swell, Lake Tahoe is, in fact, surfable. Dylan Graves, Mr. Weird Waves himself, surfed it back in 2021. As expect with this particular variety of unconventional surf spot, it doesn't necessarily get good; it's more about the novelty factor. More often, folks wake surf on Lake Tahoe – like Mark Zuckerberg, for the tragedy on Saturday, however, these weren't conditions anyone would want to surf in, let alone find themselves sinking on a boat. In response to the missing individuals and the casualties from the storm, Coast Guard Commander David Herndon issued this statement: 'Suspending a search is always a difficult decision to make and weighs heavily on each Coast Guard member involved. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those involved in the boat capsize.'Freak 8-Foot Waves Slam Lake Tahoe, Boaters Killed (Video) first appeared on Surfer on Jun 23, 2025
