NTSB releases preliminary report on Lake Tahoe boat tragedy that killed 8

Overview of the Lake Tahoe Boat Capsizing Incident

On June 21, a tragic incident occurred on Lake Tahoe when a 28-foot power boat named Over the Moon overturned during a sudden storm. The event led to the deaths of eight individuals, with two survivors managing to escape the frigid waters. The incident has sparked a detailed investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which has released preliminary findings.

Details of the Incident

The boat was launched from a boat ramp in Tahoe City, California, around 10:40 a.m. It initially had four adults on board, including Joshua Pickles, who owned the boat along with his father. The driver of the boat picked up six additional passengers at a nearby marina, bringing the total number of passengers aboard to ten.

At 11:58 a.m., the boat traveled to Emerald Bay, a sheltered area popular with boaters on the west side of Lake Tahoe. Weather conditions at that time were clear skies, light southerly winds, and an air temperature of 54 degrees. The National Weather Service had not issued marine warnings or small craft advisories for the area, although the local forecast indicated a slight chance of thunderstorms.

Sometime before 2 p.m., the clouds increased, prompting the driver to decide to return to the marina. However, as the boat set out, the wind, rain, and waves intensified, leading the driver to return to Emerald Bay. After about 10 minutes, the driver made a second attempt to return to the marina.

Conditions During the Storm

One of the survivors reported that once the boat was away from Emerald Bay, 2- to 3-foot waves splashed into the boat with pouring rain, but no water was accumulating on the deck. As the winds increased, marble-sized hail collected in the boat, and the waves grew to 8 to 10 feet. A few waves broke over the sides and bow, and about an inch of water accumulated on the deck. The driver turned on the bilge pumps.

As the boat took on water, passengers tried to bail out the boat. A large wave overtook the boat, leading one of the passengers to hand out lifejackets. However, no one else put on the personal floatation devices. When the boat rolled, passengers entered the water at 2:57 p.m. Hikers saw the boat capsize and called 911.

Survivors and Victims

Amy Friduss, 40, of Rochester, N.Y., and her mother, Julie Lindsay, 65, of Springwater, N.Y., survived the capsizing. The victims included Stephen Lindsey, 63, of Springwater, N.Y., the husband and father of the survivors; Joshua Pickles, 37, of San Francisco; Paula Bozinovich, 71, of Redwood City, Calif., Joshua Pickles' mother; Terry Pickles, 73, of Redwood City, Calif., Joshua Pickles' father; Peter Bayes, 72, of Lincoln, Calif., uncle of Joshua Pickles; Timothy O'Leary, 71, of Auburn, Calif.; Theresa Giullari, 66, and James Guck, 69, a married couple from Honeoyne, N.Y.

Statements from the Family

Sam Singer, a spokesperson for Pickles' widow, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, released a statement expressing gratitude for the rescue efforts. “The report confirms the deep tragedy of this accident which claimed the lives of Josh Pickles, his father, mother, uncle and friends. Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard is profoundly thankful for the rescue efforts made by so many first responders and good Samaritans in the tragic situation,” the statement said.

Information About the Boat

Over the Moon, valued at $393,000, was built in 2023 and had seating capacity for 12. The boat had a fiberglass-reinforced plastic hull and an 8-cylinder, 6.2-liter, 430-hp Volvo Penta direct-injected gasoline engine. The vessel was fitted with two 1,100-gallons-per-hour automatic bilge pumps.

Ongoing Investigations

The NTSB investigation included interviews with one of the two survivors, a lifeguard, witnesses, salvage company employees who recovered the boat the next day, and others. There was no timeline provided for the final NTSB investigation, while the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office is conducting its own investigation.