The eight people killed in a horrifying boat Tahoe accident on Lake Tahoe in June were not wearing life jackets, according to a preliminary report released by the National Traffic Safety Commission on Wednesday.
The report shows that the decision to wear a life jacket when a fun day falls into an extraordinary storm has made a significant difference in the fate of passengers.
The tragedy unfolded on June 21st by a 28-foot boat carrying 10 people across Lake California, amid eight feet of waves, snow and ail.
The water temperature has now become 54 degrees colder. Officials warn that water below 70 degrees will be cold enough to cause hypothermia if a person is exposed to conditions for a sufficient period of time.
Six people were found dead in the water that afternoon without a life jacket, but the next day, two bodies were found on the lake floor near the scene of the accident. Of the two survivors, one was found wearing a life jacket, and the other was found clinging to a life jacket.
The victims of the own death were executive Joshua Pickles of Durdasch and his parents, Terry Pickles and Paula Bodinovich, his uncle Peter Bayes, four friends. The two survivors were Amy Fridos and her mother, Julie Lindsay. Lindsay’s husband and Fridos’ father, Stephen Lindsay, also died in an accident.
According to the report, one survivor was wearing a life jacket and began distributing it to other passengers after stormy weather sent huge waves over the boat.
“No one else wore a PFD right away [personal flotation device]The report states. “Suddenly the boat rolled onto the right board, and passengers got into the water. Survivors recall that snow began to fall after the boat rolled while people were in the water.”
The salvage company later retrieved the boat. This was inspected by investigators from the NTSB and the US Coast Guard.
“Investigators were unable to find evidence of leaking hull, grounding or contacting the object,” the report said. “On the ship, investigators found one PFD in a plastic package tagged with tags, one baby’s best in the package, a luggage loaded with unziptive lifespans, and five inflatable PFDs in the storage compartment.”
According to the report, the private-owned Criscruft boat went out on Lake Tahoe on the morning of June 21st.
The weather was comfortable with clear skies, light winds and 50’s temperatures. The National Weather Service had not issued any Marine Corps warnings or small recommendations to the Lake Tahoe area that day. However, regional forecasts showed a small opportunity for thunderstorms.
Four adults, including two registered boat owners, departed from the boat ramp at 10:40am, six passengers boarded the marina and the entire crew headed for Emerald Bay around noon, according to the report.
This hidden entrance is one of the lake’s most iconic areas, known for its turquoise waters, steep granite cliffs and thick pine forests. The boat was locked there for about 90 minutes before the weather suddenly moved around at about 2pm and the driver decided to return to the marina.
By then, wind, rain and waves had been picking up, so the driver had returned to the bay. Ten minutes later he made a second attempt to return to the marina.
Reports suggest that one survivor was hit by a marble-sized hail, but the waves increased to 8-10 feet and the waves increased to 8-10 feet. The wind blew through to a maximum of 34 knots, blew snow and sleet on the boat.
A hiker called 911 around 3pm after witnessing a boat capsize on the shores of DL Bliss State Park on Lake Tahoe. Another hiker and a lifeguard in California State Park helped survivors to pull out the water, and they were taken to hospital where they were treated for hypothermia.
In California, it is legally necessary for all children under the age of 13 to wear a life jacket while on the boat. Life jackets are optional for adults, but all boats must carry adequate personal flotation equipment for all passengers.
By 5:30 that night, the sky was blue again and the water was calm, but it was too late to save the remaining eight passengers.
Source link
