Six dead, two missing after boat capsizes on Lake Tahoe near DL Bliss State Park
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- A 27-foot boat capsized on Lake Tahoe, killing six and leaving two missing.
- High winds and 6- to 8-foot swells contributed to the vessel's overturning.
- Search efforts continue with aid from California State Parks and local deputies.
Update: The Coast Guard said it would suspend the search Sunday.
Six people died, two were hospitalized and two others remained missing after a 27-foot boat capsized Saturday afternoon on Lake Tahoe near D.L. Bliss State Park, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The vessel, a gold Chris-Craft carrying 10 people, overturned about 3 p.m. just off Rubicon Point amid high winds and rough waters, according to local authorities who responded. A large swell contributed to the capsizing, according to Coast Guard officials.
Two survivors were taken to a hospital for treatment, said Petty Officer 1st Class Loumania Stewart, a Coast Guard spokesperson.
Authorities said multiple people had called 911 after seeing 10 people in the water not far from Lester Beach. SouthTahoeNow.com reported that a seasonal lifeguard and ranger also saw boaters in the water and were able to bring two ashore. SouthTahoeNow said that the lifeguard and another person had to be pulled from the water by the Coast Guard boat that responded.
“Tragically, six deceased adults were recovered from the water,” the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “At this time, two individuals remain unaccounted for.”
It remained unclear whether any of the boaters were wearing life jackets at the time.
Deputies said divers and sonar teams had searched around the area of the capsizing early Sunday new information had yet to emerged about the two missing boaters.
Conditions on the lake were harsh at the time, with 30-knot winds and 6- to 8-foot swells. The air temperature plummeted from 52 degrees to 38 in a matter of minutes amid the fast-moving storm, according to National Weather Service data.
Officials only an hour before were called to another water rescue on the lake about seven miles north of Rubicon Point as storm clouds rolled across the High Sierra lake and conditions quickly deteriorated, according to other emergency agencies. Photos and videos from SouthTahoeNow showed squally conditions and several boats piled up or turned over at piers, including Camp Richardson and Tahoe Keys.
Sacramento-based rapper Conor Bugbee said the storm “rolled in about 3 p.m.” and surprised many at Camp Richardson Resort as boats broke loose and collided on the beach.
“Gale‑force winds and choppy waves pushed them together, causing noticeable damage,” said Bugbee, who with his father-in-law helped several people off a boat that had careened onto the sand. “The situation escalated within minutes, catching many of us off guard.”
He said that the storm, which left a trace of snow one day after the summer solstice, moved out just as quickly as it came in.
The storm had left several boats on the south shore damaged or destroyed, though an exact figure of the damage was not known Sunday.
It also prompted deputies to issue a warning to residents along Jameson Beach Road due to a hazardous materials incident that was reported at the Camp Richardson pier.
Authorities advised homeowners to avoid using their water systems until further evaluation could determine if contamination had occurred.
The Sheriff’s Office said it would release the names of the deceased and missing once family members are notified.
This story was originally published June 21, 2025 at 10:32 PM with the headline "Six dead, two missing after boat capsizes on Lake Tahoe near DL Bliss State Park."
