Eight individuals who lost their lives in the devastating Lake Tahoe boat accident were not using life jackets and did not send out any distress signals as their boat overturned.
Ten sailors on a 28-foot golden Chris-Craft boat departed from theCaliforniaside of Lake Tahoe last month,excited to spend a sunny day on the water for a 71st birthday celebration.
But the day became disastrous when a sudden, intense storm swept over the lake –unleashing towering waves, relentless hail, and heavy rainfall– and attacked unexpectedly, finally overturning their boat, resulting in eight fatalities.
A report published on Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stated that only the two people who survived had life jackets on, and no emergency signal was sent when a wave flooded their high-end boat, according toThe San Francisco Chronicle.
On the morning of June 21, the weather outside was ideal for a relaxed weekend trip – bright skies, soft winds, and gradually increasing heat.
Although there was a small possibility of rain and thunderstorms—something typical for experienced sailors—hundreds still headed out onto the water that day.
But something changed around 2pm – some sailors observed whitecaps appearing on the surface, while others saw the wind abruptly increasing, blowing strongly from the north, as reported byThe Los Angeles Times.
As per the latest report, the ten boaters were moored at Emerald Bay when the boat’s operator chose to depart the area as weather conditions started to deteriorate.
However, as they returned, a survivor stated that the waves and wind grew stronger, with hail the size of marbles starting to pile up in the boat, as noted by the SF Chronicle.
To prevent the growing disorder, the driver turned on two bilge pumps, which can each remove as much as 1,100 gallons per hour, as stated in the report.
Starting from that point, circumstances worsened quickly, turning a peaceful day into a frantic struggle against time and the elements – as waves eight feet high, winds blowing at 30 knots, and hailstorms swept over the lake in just a matter of minutes.
The ship’s engine malfunctioned roughly 50 to 100 yards away from the beach, close to D.L. Bliss State Park.
After the boat stopped, some travelers attempted to remove water – but their attempts were overpowered when a massive wave swept over the edge.
As per Wednesday’s report, one of the two survivors swiftly donned a life jacket and started distributing them to others aboard — yet no one else immediately wore theirs.
A short time later, the boat overturned, sending all 10 passengers into the cold water that was 54 degrees. A witness shared with investigators that it had started to snow, as reported by the source.
Around 3 p.m., a group of hikers contacted emergency services, stating they saw a group in the water following their boat capsizing—amidst waves reaching approximately eight feet in height in the region.
A hiker and a lifeguard from California State Parks assisted in rescuing the two survivors from the water — one had a life-saving device, while the other was holding on to one, as stated in the report.
A large-scale search and rescue effort, involving several organizations, was immediately initiated to find the remaining boaters, including North Tahoe Fire, California State Parks, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Coast Guard.
The recovery efforts also involved expert divers and specialized groups, such as the Wilderness Finder Search Dog Teams.
Six corpses were found on the water’s surface close to the overturned vessel just after the storm.
The next day, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office helped the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office in retrieving the two remaining victims.
The individuals who perished in the disaster have been confirmed 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.
The individuals who survived were identified as Amy Friduss and her mother, Julie Lindsay — both from New York — and they received medical treatment at a hospital for hypothermia and additional injuries, as reported by the SF Chronicle.
At the scene of the incident, officials retrieved four life vests and one life buoy, as mentioned in the report.
More buoyancy aids were eventually found on the vessel – some still sealed in their original plastic wrapping with labels present, others hidden in storage areas, left untouched.
The vessel, named Over the Moon, was registered in California and had a value of $393,000. It was designed to accommodate 12 passengers.
As part of the initial report, authorities spoke with one survivor, a lifeguard, multiple witnesses, Good Samaritans, and other individuals involved in the response, as mentioned by the source.
The report also mentioned that investigators inspected the boat—recovered from the lake the day following the event—and discovered no signs of a damaged hull, grounding, or impact with any object.
Among those who died was 37-year-old DoorDash executive Josh Pickles, along with his parents – 73-year-old Terry Pickles and 71-year-old Paula Bozinovich.
The wife of Pickles remained at home looking after their seven-month-old daughter during the disaster, as reported by Fox News. The group was commemorating his mother’s 71st birthday on Lake Tahoe.
Two additional victims were also from California: Peter Bayes, the uncle of Josh Pickles, who was 72 years old, and Timothy O’Leary, who was 71 years old.
The three surviving victims — 66-year-old Theresa Giullari, 69-year-old James Guck, and 63-year-old Stephen Lindsay — had traveled from New York.
“These people were members of a tightly knit family group celebrating a birthday at the lake,” said the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.mentioned in a statement on June 24.
Our most sincere and heartfelt sympathies go out to the families of those who perished and to everyone impacted by this devastating incident.
