Overview

• Eight passengers drowned when the 28-foot Over the Moon capsized in a sudden storm that produced hail, whitecaps and 8–10-foot waves
• The boat’s engine stopped 50 to 100 yards from shore, leaving passengers to bail water before a wave rolled the vessel over
• Investigators found four life jackets and a life ring at the site, plus additional devices still packaged onboard, but none of the deceased wore them
• No distress calls were made from Over the Moon and bystanders, including a hiker and a state parks lifeguard, rescued the two survivors
• A preliminary NTSB report released July 23 details these findings as the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office opens a parallel probe into mechanical failures and safety practices