Six people are confirmed dead, two remain missing, and two others were hospitalized after a boat capsized in rough waters on Lake Tahoe Saturday evening, with authorities confirming the only survivors were wearing life jackets. Emergency crews responded around 5 p.m. on June 21 after the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office received reports of an overturned boat carrying 10 people near D.L. Bliss State Park on the lake’s western shore. According to the sheriff’s office, a search effort involving local agencies, California State Parks and the U.S. Coast Guard found six victims deceased in the water.
Two survivors were rescued and transported to a nearby hospital. Both were wearing life jackets, according to a statement from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. The two missing individuals had not been found as of Sunday morning. No victims’ names have been released.
@uscg, partner agencies are still searching for two missing people after boat capsized in vicinity of D.L. Bliss State Park. #laketahoe pic.twitter.com/JaWEyy34cV
— USCGNorCal (@USCGNorCal) June 22, 2025
Weather conditions on the lake had quickly deteriorated Saturday afternoon, the Sacramento Bee reports. The National Weather Service recorded wind gusts up to 30 knots, with wave heights reaching between 6 to 8 feet. Temperatures hovered around 38 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind chills near freezing.
According to local reports, the group had launched earlier in the day under relatively calm skies before sudden afternoon winds created whiteout-like lake conditions. Witnesses reported seeing people in the water near an overturned vessel around the time rescue efforts began.
The vessel involved has not been publicly identified by officials, though some local outlets described it as a Chris-Craft model. That detail has not been confirmed by authorities. Search and rescue teams, including divers, resumed operations Sunday morning to locate the two missing individuals. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Saturday’s incident marks one of the deadliest boating accidents on Lake Tahoe in recent memory. Safety officials are reminding lake users of the importance of checking weather conditions before launching and wearing personal flotation devices at all times, regardless of forecast. More information will be released as the investigation continues.
