Pontoon Boat Capsizes in Northern Arizona Lake: 3 Dead, 2 Injured

Photo : AP

Three people, including two young children, have died following a pontoon boat accident on Lake Powell in northern Arizona. The 25-foot pontoon was overturned by waves while being towed by another vessel on the afternoon of July 26, according to officials from the National Park Service.

The tragic incident occurred near the mouth of Navajo Canyon within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Lake Powell, located northeast of Page near the Arizona-Utah border, is a popular destination for boating and recreation.

Emergency crews arriving at the scene discovered a dire situation: some of the 11 passengers were found on top of the overturned pontoon, while others were either in the water or trapped beneath the boat. The pontoon, a flat-bottomed vessel supported by hollow tubes, had capsized due to the rough conditions.

The victims included 72-year-old Melissa Bean and two young boys, both aged 4. The names of the children have not been disclosed. Two additional passengers were hospitalized, one of whom was a man with unspecified injuries and a 12-year-old girl in critical condition.

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The pontoon was reportedly carrying families from Utah and Idaho, though it remains unclear if the deceased were related. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Department, National Park Service, and county medical examiner’s office involved in the inquiry.

Lt. Adam Simonsen, a spokesperson for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, expressed the gravity of the situation: “While it is not uncommon for us to investigate deaths on the water throughout the year, the scale of this incident—three fatalities and two individuals in critical condition—is both unusual and deeply tragic.”

Rescue efforts involved Glen Canyon rangers and Page Fire Department personnel who worked diligently to extract the trapped passengers. They were transported to nearby hospitals by ambulances and helicopters.