UPDATE, MONDAY 5:10PM: The eighth and final victim has been located and removed from Lake Tahoe by search and rescue divers.
UPDATE, MONDAY 11AM: A seventh person has been located from Saturday’s tragedy. They were found deceased Saturday night. More info here – https://southtahoenow.com/06/23/2025/search-continues-for-1-missing-boater-on-lake-tahoe
UPDATE, SUNDAY 3:15PM: The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for the two people missing in Lake Tahoe after the boat they were in capsized. Six of those on board died and two were taken to an area hospital.
UPDATE SUNDAY 10:30AM: Rescue crews are on the scene this morning, searching for the two reported missing passengers from the capsized boat off of D.L. Bliss State Park. El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, K9 units, dive team, and North Tahoe Fire Protection District. The U.S. Guard has a plane flying over the lake in a grid-like fashion.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – (This story was updated at 10:10 p.m. Saturday) – It has been a hectic day on Lake Tahoe for agencies on the water. They responded to several reports of boats in distress, with many of them overturned or taking on water.
As of 10:10 p.m., the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office (EDSO) has confirmed six fatalities, two people were transported to the hospital, and two are still missing. The EDSO Dive Team and Search and Rescue will return to the area of D.L. Bliss State Park on Sunday morning to continue search operations.
An EDSO spokesperson said they received multiple reports of a capsized boat in South Lake Tahoe, near D.L. Bliss State Park, Saturday afternoon. Callers indicated that approximately 10 individuals were in the water near the vessel, with reported wave heights reaching eight feet during 30 knot winds. EDSO, in coordination with local emergency response partners, immediately responded to the area.
The 10 passengers were on board a gold 27-foot Chris-Craft vessel.
So far, it can be confirmed that the USCG and California State Parks responded to D.L. Bliss State Park after a seasonal lifeguard and ranger saw people in the water. They were able to get two onto the nearby rocks and start performing CPR. As the Coast Guard arrived, they saw another person in the water, and the lifeguard swam to assist. The person in the water and the lifeguard were pulled onto the Coast Guard boat and transported to Lester Beach. EMS arrived at the beach, but that person was pronounced deceased, said the USCG.
The identities of the deceased will not be released until next-of-kin notifications have been made.
The EDSO helicopter was circling the beach, reportedly searching for people still missing in the lake, and as of 9 p.m., a USCG airplane is in the area.,
Witnesses on the lake said around 3 p.m., the wind suddenly came from the north, creating eight to ten-foot troughs. Boat Captain Joby Cefalu said that size is worse than 30-foot waves on the sea. He helped set up a triage at the Tahoe Keys Marina office to help with hypothermia victims, and said the Keys staff were all “rockstars,” working hard to get people to safety. He’s been on the lake for a few decades and had never seen it as bad as it was on Saturday. North winds like this aren’t normally seen in the summer.
“It was a very, very tragic day on Lake Tahoe,” said Cefalu.
There is no other information available at this hour, and the story will be updated as soon as it is available.
Video from Jason Brissenden:
Videos below from Joby Cefalu.
