Toddler among 12 rescued on Lake Mead after boat capsized

Twelve people including a 3-year-old girl were rescued on Lake Mead in Nevada after their boat capsized amid high winds and flash flooding, authorities said.

The National Park Service and the state Department of Wildlife responded Sunday to a call around 7:15 p.m. reporting a dozen people in the water after their boat overturned near Swallow Bay, Lake Mead spokesperson Christie Vanover said.

Rangers and wardens secured the boat and rescued passengers from the water, including the toddler who was found in an air pocket under the boat, authorities said. Paramedics on scene treated the 3-year-old and returned her safely to family members.

“You always hear us say that life jackets save lives, and yesterday that came true for our distressed boaters on Lake Mead, and most especially for their 3-year-old daughter trapped underneath a capsized vessel and rescued by a Nevada Game Warden,” Game Warden Cpt. Brian Bowles said.

Flash flooding hit near Willow Beach hours earlier leaving multiple other boaters and kayakers stranded in the water, many people got their cars stuck in mud trying to leave the beaches afterward, authorities said.

Officers at Lake Mead National Recreation Area responded to more than 80 incidents on Sunday, including 10 search and rescues, authorities said.

“Everyone should take heed of this warning so early in the boating season,” Bowles said. “Make sure you wear a life jacket, and be prepared for quick changes in the weather.”