A sudden and violent windstorm on Lake Tahoe capsized a 27-foot boat Saturday, leaving six dead, two injured, and two still missing, according to authorities. The tragedy unfolded on the California side of the lake near DL Bliss State Park around 3 p.m., as 30-knot winds and waves up to eight feet battered the 191-square-mile alpine lake.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed the Chris Craft vessel flipped in rough waters. Emergency responders, including dive teams and helicopters, searched the area through the night and resumed operations Sunday, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. Two victims were pulled from the water and CPR was performed on nearby rocks. A third was rescued by lifeguards and transferred to a Coast Guard boat, but was later pronounced dead.
The Sacramento Bee reported the lake’s temperature plunged from 52 to 38 degrees in minutes during the storm, increasing the danger for those thrown into the water. Joby Cefalu, a longtime boat captain who captured video of the storm, said he’d never witnessed such extreme conditions on the lake in his decades of experience. “It was a very, very tragic day on Lake Tahoe,” he said.
Witnesses reported helicopters circling the beach into the evening hours as rescuers searched for the missing. Authorities are withholding the names of the deceased until next-of-kin are notified.
Lake Tahoe, known for its typically calm alpine waters, was transformed into a dangerous scene by the rare storm, highlighting the unpredictable power of nature even in well-traveled recreational areas.
