A tragic incident occurred on Lake Powell in northern Arizona when a pontoon boat capsized, resulting in the deaths of a woman and two children, authorities confirmed on Sunday. The boat, a privately owned 25-foot pontoon, overturned on Friday near Navajo Canyon within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area while being towed by another boater. The lake is situated near Page and close to the Arizona-Utah border.
Emergency responders found some of the 11 passengers on top of the overturned pontoon, while others were in the water or trapped beneath the boat. Rescuers from Glen Canyon and Page Fire Department assisted in getting the injured individuals out of the water and into ambulances or helicopters for transport to hospitals.
The victims were identified as 72-year-old Melissa Bean and two 4-year-old boys who did not have their names disclosed. The current condition of the two hospitalized individuals has not been updated as of Sunday.
It is unknown if the victims were related, but it was mentioned that families from Utah and Idaho were onboard the pontoon when it flipped. An investigation is underway with the involvement of the county sheriff’s department, National Park Service, and county medical examiner’s office.
Lt. Adam Simonsen from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office expressed the rarity and tragedy of the event, stating that while deaths on the water are not uncommon, the scale of this incident with three fatalities and two critically injured is particularly devastating.
