One dead after boat capsizes

SANDPOINT — One person has died after the boat they were on capsized in Wednesday’s storm, according to a Bonner County Sheriff’s Office press release.

Bonner County Dispatch was contacted at 5:15 p.m. by a boater on Lake Pend Oreille in the area of Glengary Bay reporting another boat had capsized in a storm and there were numerous people in the water, BCSO Capt. Tim Hemphill said.

The caller was able to rescue six people from the water onto their boat and a Bonner County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol boat that arrived on scene 7 minutes after the initial call was able to rescue three more people from the water. The deputies were told there had been a total of 10 people on the boat when it capsized, Hemphill said.

Hemphill said the sheriff’s boat immediately began a search for the missing person and was soon joined by two additional Sheriff’s Marine boats as well as a boat from Selkirk Fire and a boat from Samowen Fire.

Members of the Bonner County Sheriff’s Dive Team also responded ultimately located and recovered the missing person, who had perished in the incident.

The surviving occupants of the boat were evaluated by Bonner County EMS and are believed to have suffered no injuries.

The 21-foot ski boat was reported to have taken on a significant amount of water from high waves during the storm prior to capsizing.

The incident is under investigation and no further information will be released at this time, Hemphill said.