SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (Diya TV) — Authorities have recovered the final missing boater after a deadly accident on Lake Tahoe during a sudden storm Saturday. The tragic capsizing left eight people dead and two injured, making it one of the deadliest boating incidents in the lake’s recent history.
A 27-foot gold Chris-Craft boat carrying ten people overturned Saturday afternoon near D.L. Bliss State Park, on the lake’s southwest shore. Officials say stormy weather caused high winds and massive waves that rocked the lake without warning.
Rescue teams found two survivors immediately and transported them to a hospital. Their condition has not been made public. Over the next three days, authorities recovered the eight bodies of the deceased.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the final victim was found around 2:40 p.m. Monday after a multi-agency search. Teams from California and Nevada joined the recovery effort, including divers from Washoe and San Joaquin counties.
The storm arrived quickly and without much warning. The National Weather Service had predicted some light rain but not the severe conditions that followed. Meteorologist Matthew Chyba said winds reached over 35 mph and waves swelled to over 8 feet.
“We weren’t expecting it to be so strong,” Chyba said. “They were rocking the lake.”
He also noted that unusually cool temperatures, 15 to 25 degrees below normal, helped create an unstable air mass over the area. The rough waters and intense winds caused several boats to capsize, including the vessel involved in the fatal accident.
Brittany Glick, a visitor on a rented pontoon boat, described the chaos. She was celebrating a friend’s bachelorette party when the weather turned.
“It felt like we were in a tsunami,” Glick said. “The temperature dropped, and visibility was almost gone.”
Glick and her group made it safely back to the dock, but not before being soaked and chilled by hail and freezing winds.
“Our feet were numb, and our toes were turning blue,” she said. “It was terrifying. I’ve never experienced anything like that.”
Video obtained by local station KCRA-TV showed boats slamming into each other at a nearby marina during the storm.
Emergency crews began searching Saturday evening and resumed efforts Sunday and Monday. The U.S. Coast Guard led the initial search but later handed over operations to local authorities.
By Sunday night, crews had recovered seven of the eight missing people. The final victim was found Monday, concluding the intense recovery mission.
Officials have not released the names of the victims. “Identifications will not be shared until proper family notifications have been made,” said Sgt. Kyle Parker of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.
Lake Tahoe is a popular destination for summer water activities such as boating, kayaking, and paddleboarding. Its deep, cold waters span the California-Nevada border and attract thousands each year.
While drowning incidents do happen annually, mass-casualty boating accidents like this are rare. In 2021, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department reported a record 15 water-related deaths, though the yearly average is typically closer to six.
Officials urge all lake visitors to monitor weather forecasts closely and use life jackets and other safety gear. Sudden storms can turn Lake Tahoe’s normally calm waters into dangerous waves quickly, especially during early summer.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the capsized vessel was privately owned or rented. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
