Woman, 2 children dead after boat capsizes in northern Arizona lake

PAGE, AZ (AZFamily) — A woman and two young children are dead after a pontoon boat carrying 11 people capsized on Lake Powell in northern Arizona on Friday.

Shortly after 3 pm, the National Park Service (NPS) Glen Canyon Regional Communications Center was notified that a boat had overturned on Lake Powell near Navajo Canyon.

According to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, a 25-foot pontoon boat was being towed by another boat when waves caused the pontoon to capsize. The sheriff’s office says several of the 11 passengers became trapped underneath the overturned boat.

Park rangers with the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area responded and found the scene, where one person was standing on the underside of the overturned boat, and others were still in the water.

The sheriff’s office says nearby boaters were helping people out of the water, but some passengers were unaccounted for. Officials say two people were flown by medical helicopter to ambulances waiting nearby while rescuers continued searching.

As of Saturday, officials report that two 4-year-old boys and a woman have been confirmed dead. The woman has been identified as 72-year-old Melissa Bean.

It’s currently unclear how many others were hurt, but officials say all passengers were located.

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