A peaceful summer outing turned tragic when a 27-foot Chris-Craft boat capsized near D.L. Bliss State Park on Lake Tahoe. A video taken just before the accident shows towering waves and dangerous conditions. The boat was carrying ten people when it flipped on June 21, 2025. Six lost their lives, two are still missing, and only two survived.
Joby Cefalu, the boat’s captain, spoke of terrifying winds and 6 to 8-foot waves that overwhelmed them. “It was worse than 30-foot ocean swells,” he said, shaken by the rare and violent storm. Search and rescue crews worked through the night into Sunday. But by late afternoon, the mission was suspended with no sign of the missing.
This tragedy comes just weeks after another heartbreaking loss on the water. Ava Moore, only 18 and freshly graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy Prep School, was killed while kayaking on Lake Grapevine, Texas. A personal watercraft hit her and fled the scene, leaving friends and family devastated.
Ava was remembered as a bright, ambitious young woman with a strong future in service. Her squadron and community mourned the sudden loss, describing her as a natural leader and a light to all who knew her. As investigations continue in both cases, two families are left grappling with grief and unanswered questions.