Seven of the ten people on the boat came out of Geneva Lake alive. The other three were children.
A storm described as “sudden and severe” moved across southern Wisconsin on Friday afternoon, “rapidly producing hazardous boating conditions,” according to NBC Chicago. A recreational boat carrying six adults and four children was heading for shore when wind and waves got the better of it. In the words of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Geneva Lake Law Enforcement Agency, it was “overwhelmed by severe wind and waves, took on water, capsized and subsequently sank.”
Rescue and recovery
Rescuers pulled seven people from the water, six adults and one child. Three children were unaccounted for. After an intensive search, they were recovered from the lake.
“Lifesaving measures were administered immediately at the scene and continued by emergency medical personnel during transit to local medical facilities,” the two agencies said. “Despite these exhaustive efforts, all three children were later pronounced deceased.”
All four children had life jackets on, officials told NBC Chicago. The incident is under investigation. Names of the dead had not been released.
Damage across Walworth County
The boat was not the only emergency. Walworth County Undersheriff Tom Hausner told The Associated Press that the storm toppled trees, knocked down power lines and damaged buildings, and that many injuries were reported. Gusts topped 60 mph across the county.
Hausner said the storm hit southern Walworth County at noon and caused “massive damage,” according to Xinhua. Calls to 911 came in one after another: trees down, vehicles crushed, people trapped inside collapsed structures. Deputies responded right away, he said, but downed power lines and trees blocking streets slowed them. “Power lines are all over the place. We are urging people to stay away,” he said.
Lake Geneva Mayor Todd Krause declared a state of emergency. Hausner said the county had asked law enforcement in neighboring counties and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for help.
The storms rolled through the Midwest on Friday afternoon and evening, and local media reported that several cities canceled holiday festivals and moved fireworks displays to Saturday, the day set for Independence Day.
Sources
- 3 children die after boat capsizes in Wisconsin lake amid storms
- 3 children dead after boat capsizes in Wisconsin during severe storm
