Latest news with #GloriaBrigantino
Metro
3 hours ago
- Climate
- Metro
Eight dead after boats capsize in sudden Lake Tahoe storm
Eight people are dead after multiple boats collided and one capsized at a popular holiday destination in the US. At least nine boats were piled up during a major freak storm in Lake Tahoe, between California and Nevada, on Saturday. Ten people from a 27-foot tourist boat fell into the normally serene waters of the lake Saturday afternoon when their vessel capsized. Only two survived. 'It happened suddenly. The water was just screaming towards the shore,' witness Gloria Brigantino told the BBC. 'Some of the owners were crying as their boats were wrecked. I could smell gas leaking, and some gentlemen helped take passengers off a pontoon boat that got stuck on the shore. 'The waves just bashed it so rapidly that they ran off, fell off, and many were crying.' The names of those who have died haven't been released, El Dorado County officials said. They are in the process of notifying families. National Weather Service spokesperson Matthew Chyba said winds topped 35mph and waves swelled to more than 8 feet. 'We weren't expecting it to be so strong,' he added. Just an hour after the freak storm arrived, it passed – skies were sunny and the waters cleared shortly after. But the sudden storm prompted multiple water rescues, of those who went overboard from boats, to others who were paddleboarding on the lake. In a statement, the Coast Guard said: 'The Coast Guard urges all mariners, experienced or not, to always wear a life jacket, check the weather conditions before heading out on the water, file a float plan, and carry a working VHF radio to call for assistance.' Party boat operator Chris Williams was on the lake when the weather made a sudden turn. He told the San Francisco Chronicle: 'We braved the weather and came back during some severe wave heights that have never been seen on Lake Tahoe. 'We were pushing the vessels to their maximum capabilities while making sure to keep all clients safely aboard.' Last summer, six passengers died when the Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Italy in a freak storm. More Trending The £30 million vessel capsized with 22 people on board during bad weather while moored off the coast of Sicily. Civil protection officials said they believe the ship was struck by a tornado over the water, known as a waterspout. According to the US National Ocean Service, there are two types of waterspouts — fair-weather and tornadoic. Tornadic waterspouts have the same characteristics as a land tornado. They are associated with severe thunderstorms and are often accompanied by high winds and seas, large hail, and frequent dangerous lightning, the service says on its website. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Urgent recall for chicken fettuccine alfredo 'linked to three deaths and a pregnancy loss' MORE: Florida sheriff warns rioters 'we will kill you' as protests spread across US MORE: Lawmaker forcefully removed from Trump secretary's LA protests conference and handcuffed
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
'The water was just screaming' - Eight dead in Lake Tahoe after boats capsize
The skies were as blue as the famous waters of Lake Tahoe when Gloria Brigantino and her friends decided to anchor and get a rum cocktail. It was starting to feel chilly, and winds were picking up. On shore, a band was playing, and people were swimming - children running around in their swimsuits as the first official weekend of summer kicked off in this popular California holiday spot. It seemed that within minutes on Saturday that everything changed. A storm moved in, sending tents and canopies flying. White-capped water and 8ft (2.5m) swells caused multiple boats to capsize, including a 27ft vessel filled with tourists. On Monday, officials confirmed two more people aboard that boat were found dead - bringing the death toll to eight. Ms Brigantino, who was visiting the popular alpine lake between California and Nevada with friends from Texas and California, watched as boats crashed into each other, ripping from their anchors and smashing onto shore. The howling winds that reached 35mph (56km/h) even brought in a brief snow. She watched safely on land as the boat she and her friends had been aboard capsized, sinking some of her group's personal belongings. "Some owners of the boats were crying as their boats were wrecked," she told the BBC, adding that people risked their lives to help charter boats unload passengers as people were frantically trying to get off the water amid the worsening conditions. By then the band had packed up and fled. Their stage was now underwater, she said. "I could smell gas leaking, some gentlemen helped take passengers off a pontoon boat that got stuck in the shore," Ms Brigantino said. "The waves just bashed it so rapidly they ran off, fell off, many were crying." Within 35 minutes of coming ashore, she says she counted nine boats piled in front of them. Ms Brigantino is a self-described cowgirl and was away with her friends who all work in the Western industry with horses. They were there to have fun and help a friend make Western-themed social media content. Photos and videos from their trip showed the group dancing with drinks and posing in festive hats on the boat before the storm. Ms Brigantino said she grew up in Lake Tahoe and knows the weather can change fast. "It happened suddenly. The water was just screaming toward the shore," she said. "It was bad." The poor weather was forecast, Ms Brigantino says, but no-one expected a squall of such force. She and others lamented they hadn't seen a storm like that in the normally serene Lake Tahoe in decades, if ever. Authorities on Monday announced they had found two additional bodies after a gold 27ft tourist boat capsized. Ten people from that vessel fell into the water around 15:00 local time on Saturday and only two were found alive, according to the Coast Guard. The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office has not identified any of the victims – though they did say the six people initially found dead were all adults. "The identifications of the deceased from this terrible incident will not be released until proper notifications have been made," authorities said in a statement. The accident happened in the south-western corner of Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America. The area is known for its sunshine - an alpine lake surrounded by mountains in the Sierra Nevada. The storm was gone almost as quickly as it arrived. Ms Brigantino's photos and videos show the grey skies and massive swells disappearing by 16:30, with sunshine and clear sapphire waters returning to Lake Tahoe.
BBC News
11 hours ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Lake Tahoe: 'The water was just screaming,' says witness of boat tragedy that killed eight
The skies were as blue as the famous waters of Lake Tahoe when Gloria Brigantino and her friends decided to anchor and get a rum cocktail. It was starting to feel chilly, and winds were picking up. On shore, a band was playing, and people were swimming - children running around in their swimsuits as the first official weekend of summer kicked off in this popular California holiday spot. It seemed that within minutes on Saturday that everything changed. A storm moved in, sending tents and canopies flying. White-capped water and 8ft (2.5m) swells caused multiple boats to capsize, including a 27ft vessel filled with Monday, officials confirmed two more people aboard that boat were found dead - bringing the death toll to eight. Ms Brigantino, who was visiting the popular alpine lake between California and Nevada with friends from Texas and California, watched as boats crashed into each other, ripping from their anchors and smashing onto shore. The howling winds that reached 35mph (56km/h) even brought in a brief snow. She watched safely on land as the boat she and her friends had been aboard capsized, sinking some of her group's personal belongings. "Some owners of the boats were crying as their boats were wrecked," she told the BBC, adding that people risked their lives to help charter boats unload passengers as people were frantically trying to get off the water amid the worsening then the band had packed up and fled. Their stage was now underwater, she said. "I could smell gas leaking, some gentlemen helped take passengers off a pontoon boat that got stuck in the shore," Ms Brigantino said. "The waves just bashed it so rapidly they ran off, fell off, many were crying." Within 35 minutes of coming ashore, she says she counted nine boats piled in front of them. Ms Brigantino is a self-described cowgirl and was away with her friends who all work in the Western industry with horses. They were there to have fun and help a friend make Western-themed social media content. Photos and videos from their trip showed the group dancing with drinks and posing in festive hats on the boat before the Brigantino said she grew up in Lake Tahoe and knows the weather can change fast. "It happened suddenly. The water was just screaming toward the shore," she said. "It was bad."The poor weather was forecast, Ms Brigantino says, but no-one expected a squall of such force. She and others lamented they hadn't seen a storm like that in the normally serene Lake Tahoe in decades, if ever. Authorities on Monday announced they had found two additional bodies after a gold 27ft tourist boat capsized. Ten people from that vessel fell into the water around 15:00 local time on Saturday and only two were found alive, according to the Coast Guard. The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office has not identified any of the victims – though they did say the six people initially found dead were all adults."The identifications of the deceased from this terrible incident will not be released until proper notifications have been made," authorities said in a accident happened in the south-western corner of Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America. The area is known for its sunshine - an alpine lake surrounded by mountains in the Sierra storm was gone almost as quickly as it arrived. Ms Brigantino's photos and videos show the grey skies and massive swells disappearing by 16:30, with sunshine and clear sapphire waters returning to Lake Tahoe.
