RENO, NV — None of the eight people who died last month after a 28-foot power boat capsized on Lake Tahoe during a sudden storm were wearing life vests, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report.
Ten people, including the boat's operator, were on board a privately owned Chris-Craft vessel on June 21 when a sudden storm hit, bringing high winds, 8- to 10-foot waves, and marble-sized hail, according to the National Transportation Safety Board report released on July 23. As weather conditions worsened, the boat became inundated with water and overturned.
Weather conditions in the area were mostly calm with clear skies and light winds when the boat left shortly before 12 p.m. local time on June 21, according to the NTSB. The report noted that although the local forecast showed a slight chance of thunderstorms, there were no marine warnings or small craft advisories issued for the area on that day.
But about two hours after the boat went out to Emerald Bay on the western side of the lake, the NTSB said the winds, rain, and waves increased, with whitecaps captured on time-lapse footage at around 2:36 p.m. local time. Hail collected in the vessel, and waves began to break over the sides as the operator attempted to return to the marina.
