Overview

• Eight people who drowned were not wearing personal flotation devices; two survivors were found wearing or clinging to life jackets.
• Investigators detail a rapid-onset summer storm with high winds, 8- to 10-foot waves, marble-sized hail and snow striking the vessel within minutes.
• The vessel’s engine failed about 50 to 100 yards offshore, leaving it broadside to large waves; it rolled onto its side and dumped all ten passengers into 54°F water.
• The National Weather Service issued no marine warnings or small-craft advisories despite forecasting a slight chance of thunderstorms.
• The NTSB leads the federal safety inquiry with survivor and witness interviews; the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office maintains a parallel investigation; toxicology test results remain pending.