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2 children, 1 woman dead after pontoon capsized on Lake Powell

A 72-year-old woman and two 4-year-old boys are dead after a pontoon boat capsized on Lake Powell on July 26, 2024.
CCSO
A 72-year-old woman and two 4-year-old boys are dead after a pontoon boat capsized on Lake Powell on July 26, 2024.

Authorities say a woman and two children are dead after a pontoon boat capsized on Lake Powell Friday.

According to the Coconino County Sheriff's Office and the National Park Service, the privately owned 25-foot pontoon was being towed by another boater Friday afternoon when waves overturned the vessel near the mouth of Navajo Canyon within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

Emergency crews found some of the 11 passengers on top of the overturned pontoon while others were trapped in the water underneath.

Glen Canyon rangers and Page Fire Department personnel helped get the injured out of the water. Other boaters also attempted to help rescue the victims.

Officials say two 4-year-old boys and 72-year-old Melissa Bean died as a result. The two boys have not been publicly named.

A 12-year-old girl and an adult man were transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment. The girl was last reported to be in critical condition Sunday.

The cause of the capsizing remains under investigation by the sheriff's office, park service and the county medical examiner. However, officials note that waves likely contributed.