3 dead and others rescued after boat capsizes on Wisconsin lake amid storms

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, was hit by a deadly boating disaster on July 3 after a boat capsized on Geneva Lake during a strong storm that moved through southern Wisconsin.

Officials said three people died and seven others were rescued from the water. Walworth County Undersheriff Tom Hausner said the boat overturned as the storm passed through the area, and he said more details about the victims and survivors were not yet available.

The incident unfolded during the July Fourth holiday weekend, when the lake and surrounding communities typically see heavier traffic. The timing also increased pressure on local emergency crews already dealing with severe weather across the county.

What happened on Geneva Lake

AP confirmed the three deaths and seven rescues in the first major report on the incident. Later coverage repeated that count and said the response drew in multiple local and state agencies.

Authorities have not publicly identified the victims. Reporting also remains incomplete on how many people were aboard the boat before it capsized, and officials have not said whether the storm directly caused the overturning or was one factor among several.

Walworth County Undersheriff Tom Hausner said the storm was moving through southern Wisconsin when the boat capsized. He said investigators still did not have additional details about the people involved.

Storm damage and emergency response

Lake Geneva Mayor Todd Krause declared an emergency as the storm disrupted the city and surrounding county. He said one person suffered minor injuries after being struck by a falling tree and that some parts of the city were dealing with power outages.

Krause also said the storm toppled trees, knocked down power lines and damaged buildings across Walworth County. Those conditions added to the workload for responders who were already handling the boating emergency.

Later reporting said mutual aid was requested from neighboring agencies as local crews dealt with the combined impact of the capsizing and the storm damage on shore.

Agencies involved

Police in the city of Lake Geneva are investigating the boating incident. Secondary reports said the Geneva Lake Law Enforcement Agency and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources were also involved in the response and investigation.

The lake is a major tourist destination, and the holiday weekend likely added to the strain on local emergency services. Officials have not yet released a full account of the sequence of events on the water.

What officials still have to confirm

Several questions remain open. Authorities have not released the names of the dead or said how old they were. They also have not said how many people were on board when the boat went down.

People.com reported that the fatalities were children under 13, but AP did not confirm those ages. Other reports suggested the boat may have carried 10 people, but that figure was also not confirmed in the AP coverage.

For now, the confirmed facts are limited to the three deaths, the seven rescues and the severe weather that hit the area at the same time. More information is expected from local police, the sheriff's office and the Wisconsin DNR as the investigation continues.