A summer boating excursion turned disastrous for seven Weber County residents Monday evening at Bear Lake. After high winds capsized their ski boat, two adults, four teenage girls and a seven-year-old girl were in the 53 degree water for over three hours. An adult male was pronounced dead on scene, and Tuesday morning three juveniles were pronounced dead at Primary Children’s Hospital.
Rich County Police Officers received the initial call reporting the missing boat at 6:16 Monday evening. Volunteer emergency crews were able to respond immediately, but the last member of the group was not located until just before dark at 9:00 p.m. The boat and all occupants were found six miles from the Bear Lake State Park Marina.
Rich County Sheriff Dale Stacey said some of the group were family members, but could not verify all of their relationships.
“It’s especially hard when kids are involved. It’s hard when anyone’s involved, but especially with kids,” Stacey said.
Three of the juveniles were life-flighted to Primary Children’s Hospital, where they were pronounced dead Tuesday morning. An adult female and two juveniles were transported to Logan Regional Hospital.
In compliance with Utah law, the group had lifejackets available for all seven individuals. Stacey said the violent storm and high winds likely surprised them, and he urges boaters to be cautious this season.
Update: 1:30 p.m.
Authorities say the people killed when a boat capsized on a Utah lake were a man, his two daughters and one of their friends.
They were among seven people thrown into the chilly water when the boat overturned Monday amid a windstorm on Bear Lake, about 120 miles north of Salt Lake City.
Utah State Parks officials identified the man killed as 46-year-old Lance Capener.
His daughters, 7-year-old Kilee Capener and 13-year-old Kelsey Capener, and their friend, 13-year-old Sierra Hadley, were flown to a Salt Lake City hospital but died early Tuesday.
Lt. Eric Stucki says the other three people were hospitalized: Lance Capener's wife, 42-year-old Kathy Capener, and two other friends, Tiffany Stoker and Tylinn Tilley, both 14.