Three children died after their boat capsized and sank to the bottom of Lake Geneva in Wisconsin during a severe storm. The victims, a six-year-old boy and two girls aged ten and seven, were found unconscious at a depth of 32 feet.
Authorities reported that the vessel, a 25-foot 2024 Nautique P25, was carrying ten occupants ranging in age from six to 75 when the incident occurred on Friday. A swift-moving storm brought three large waves that crashed over the bow, causing the boat to take on water and list. A third wave then capsized the craft.
While the boat sank rapidly, a passing vessel alerted emergency services, which enabled the rescue of seven passengers. Divers later located the three deceased children. Life-saving measures were administered at the scene before the children were transported to local medical facilities, where they were pronounced dead. Preliminary medical findings suggest the cause of death was freshwater drowning, with no external injuries noted.
The operator of the boat was a 46-year-old man with extensive boating experience. He was attempting to navigate through winds estimated between 90 and 100 mph when the storm hit. As conditions deteriorated, he turned the vessel into the wind, a maneuver consistent with his training, in an effort to seek refuge.
All ten passengers on board were residents of Batavia and Wheaton, Illinois, or Fontana, Wisconsin. The storm that impacted the area also caused significant damage to trees and buildings, and over 750,000 people lost power in the Midwest and Northeast. Lake Geneva Mayor Todd Krause declared a state of emergency following the storm, which also resulted in one person being injured by a fallen tree.
Other boaters also aided in rescues during the storm. Dan Hodgman, who was on the lake, recounted how his brother noticed a father and daughter in the water and they were able to bring them to safety. Another boat rescued two other individuals nearby. Adam Teitelbaum, also boating during the storm, described it as feeling life-threatening and that his captain instructed passengers to prepare for a potential capsize by grabbing life vests.