Six individuals died when a boat overturned on Lake Tahoe, which is a tourist spot along the California-Nevada border.
Lake Tahoe Rocked by High Winds and Deadly Waves
Two remain missing after Saturday’s wreck, as strong winds pummeled the lake, sending 8ft-high (2.5m) waves crashing against the shore.
Two survivors were rescued by the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office and taken to hospital, suffering from hypothermia and other injuries.
Lake Tahoe Boat Trapped in Huge Swell Amid Gusty Winds
The 27-ft-long gold Chris-craft boat was trapped in a huge swell when the winds gusted to 35mph (56km/h) as per the US Coast Guard.
The sheriff’s Search and Rescue and Dive Team on Sunday were continuing to search for victims off the shores of the DL Bliss State Park, where the accident had taken place.
Victim Identification Pending in Tragedy
No victim has been identified by the authorities so far. The distress call about a capsized boat was made at about 15:00 local time, the sheriff’s office said. 10 individuals were said to have been in the water as air temperatures were rapidly dropping and the lake became unexpectedly choppy.
Temperatures dipped to just below freezing on Saturday afternoon, with rain and snow falling on the Sierra mountains that border the lake, the Reno Gazette Journal reported.
Lake Tahoe Storm Destroys Boats, Raises Pollution Concerns
Video posted on the web depicts massive waves crashing boats into docks. As many as several boats were destroyed in the storm, possibly spilling pollutants into the water, officials said.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the site of the accident is situated close to a rock formation called Rooster Rock, which has an underwater drop-off over 300ft deep.
Lake Tahoe is the biggest alpine lake in North America. Its average depth is 1,000ft, as indicated by the University of California, Davis.
